This Article is From May 11, 2019

Elections 2019: As BJP-AAP Spar, Mystery Deepens On Where Atishi Pamphlets Came From

AAP had also alleged that the pamphlets targeting Atishi were also distributed as inserts in newspapers in areas of east Delhi.

AAP has not been able to establish a direct link of these pamphlets to the BJP.

New Delhi:

The mystery over the source of the derogatory pamphlets targeting Aam Aadmi Party's east Delhi candidate Atishi seems to be deepening. The head of a housing colony in East Delhi's Krishna Nagar told NDTV that he had received the pamphlet by post on May 2, a week before Atishi's press conference on it. "I got the pamphlet at around 4 pm, and I had sent the screenshot of it to AAP workers here on the same day," one of the receivers of the pamphlet told NDTV, who did not want to be named. 

On inquiring about where the post came from, he said though the post didn't have the sender's address, it had a postal stamp on it. 

"I am not certain about where it came from, but it had a Krishna Nagar postal stamp on it, so it is possible it was posted from here," the person added. 

Condemning the remarks made in the pamphlet about Atishi, he said that he was upset to read the language used in the pamphlet and added that "I think it was sent to me because I am the president of the RWA (Resident's Welfare Association) and it was thought I could spread the message."    

Sources in Aam Aadmi Party told NDTV that the President of the central market in Surajmal Vihar also received the pamphlet by post. NDTV contacted the President of the Central market who confirmed to us that he had received the pamphlet, but did not wish to come on record. 

AAP though has not been able to establish a direct link of these pamphlets to the BJP. "Source of this pamphlet is subject to police investigation," said Akshya Marathe, who is handling Atishi's campaign. 

The AAP had also alleged that the pamphlets were also distributed as inserts in newspapers in areas of east Delhi. NDTV spoke to several locals in Krishna Nagar but none of them had received the pamphlet. 

"If any pamphlets have to be distributed, they have to be shown to us first," said Naziya, wife of the President of Taj Enclave apartment in Geeta Colony. 

Vendors in the Krishna Nagar market also said that they had no knowledge of the pamphlet. "We don't know anything about such a pamphlet," said Pradeep Kumar, a shop owner in Krishna Nagar. 

On Thursday, Atishi - who is BJP leader and former cricketer Gautam Gambhir's rival for the Delhi East Lok Sabha seat - at a press conference accused the BJP candidate of creating and distributing a pamphlet containing sexist attacks and derogatory comments. She broke down in tears during the press conference.

Mr Gambhir has denied any connection with the pamphlet and attacked Mr Kejriwal and AAP instead, targeting the Delhi Chief Minister, demanding an "unconditional apology". On Friday, he said he would "hang myself in public" if there was evidence linking him to the shocking pamphlet.

Gautam Gambhir has sent a defamation notice to Mr Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and Atishi, demanding they withdraw the allegation; AAP too has sent a notice to the former cricketer demanding an unconditional apology.

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