Arvind Kejriwal meets attackers; asks police to quickly trace masterminds

NEW DELHI: AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday reached out to the two men who had attacked him here, presenting them flowers, and told police to quickly trace the masterminds behind the twin attacks.

Accompanied by party colleague Manish Sisodia, Kejriwal called on auto-rickshaw driver Lali and 19-year-old Abdul Wahid at their homes. Both told the former chief minister that they regretted what they did.

"I've committed a big mistake. I should have never done what I did. I consider him (Kejriwal) as a god," Lali told the media later, a day after he gave a stinging slap to Kejriwal. Lali, who was roughed up by Aam Aadmi Party supporters after the attack in Sultanpuri in northwest Delhi, had then dubbed Kejriwal as a "liar". The attack left Kejriwal with a swollen left eye. But he said he had "forgiven" Lali.

On Wednesday, an emotional Lali touched the feet of both Kejriwal and Sisodia. They were accomapanied by Rakhi Birla, the AAP candidate in North West Delhi constituency. Lali said he had been wanting to meet Kejriwal for a long time and even went to his "janata darbar" when the AAP ruled Delhi for a short period of 49 days. The leaders also met Wahid who had punched Kejriwal during a road show at Dakshinpuri in south Delhi April 4.

Kejriwal quoted Wahid as telling him that he had been misled by "political forces". When the AAP leader pressed for details, the young man clammed up. He then Wahid not to be trapped by disgruntled politicians "who incite innocent youths for their vested interests". Kejriwal presented flowers to both men. He also gave fruits to Wahid.

The AAP leader later called on Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi and asked him to track down those masterminding attacks on him. He also asked Bassi to speed up the probe. "Get to the masterminds and these attacks will stop," he told Bassi, adding the latter pledged to personally monitor the investigation into the attacks on Kejriwal.

Speaking a day before Delhi votes, Kejriwal said he was not upset with the attackers. "They (attackers) are not to blame," he said. "Both are from very poor families. They are being exploited (by vested interests)."

Kejriwal said he also had no grouse against security personnel who could not prevent the attacks. He reiterated he will not accept the security cover he is entitled to. Police said later Wednesday that they had registered a case against both the attackers.