Swati Maliwal alleges rape and death threats by AAP leaders, blames YouTuber Dhruv Rathee for video
New Delhi: AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Sunday said that she has been receiving rape and death threats following a “character assassination” campaign allegedly initiated by party leaders and volunteers. She mentioned that the situation worsened after YouTuber Dhruv Rathee posted a one-sided video about her.
“After the leaders and volunteers of my party, i.e., AAP orchestrated a campaign of character assassination, victim shaming, and fanning of emotions against me, I have been getting rape and death threats. This got further exacerbated when YouTuber @Dhruv_Rathee posted a one-sided video against me,” Maliwal wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday.
Swati Maliwal accused the party leadership of attempting to intimidate her into withdrawing her complaint. She also expressed disappointment with Dhruv Rathee, stating that despite her efforts to contact him and present her side of the story, he ignored her calls and messages.
Maliwal’s allegations against Rathee
“It is shameful that people like him, who claim to be independent journalists, could act like other AAP spokespersons and victim-shame me to the extent that I am now facing extreme abuses and threats,” she added. Maliwal listed several points that she felt were neglected in Dhruv Rathee’s 2.5-minute video:
She said that Dhruv Rathee failed to address key points: AAP’s U-turn after acknowledging the incident, the MLC report showing assault injuries, selective video release and the accused’s formatted phone, the arrest at the CM’s house and re-entry allowing evidence tampering.
She questioned how a woman known for standing for the right, even visiting Manipur alone, could be bought by BJP. She condemned the party’s vilification efforts and reported receiving rape and death threats, urging Delhi Police to act. She warned, “If something happens to me, we know who instigated it.” Bibhav Kumar was arrested on May 18 for the May 13 assault and has sought bail.