Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal attacked with chilli powder, BJP condemns attack

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was on Tuesday, November 20, attacked by a middle-aged man with chilly powder inside the Delhi Secretariat.

The man was waiting outside the Chief Minister's office and attacked him when Kejriwal stepped out, said AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj. "Kejriwal's eyes were not affected in the attack as he was wearing spectacles."

The suspect was identified as Anil Kumar Sharma and was caught by police personnel. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) called it a breach of security of the Chief Minister.

A person needs to go through a two-level security check to reach the Chief Minister's office.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) described the act as being "politically motivated".

The man, Anil Kumar, who has been detained, was targeting the bespectacled chief minister's eyes, officials said.

His spectacles broke but his eyes seemed to have been spared any damage, they added.

Kumar, whose Aadhaar card has been recovered, brought the chilli powder to the secretariat in packets of 'khaini', or chewing tobacco, they said.

After throwing red pepper powder on Kejriwal, Kumar threatened to shoot him after he comes out of jail, an official recounted.

The attack took place outside the chief minister's chamber on the third floor when he was leaving for lunch.

While AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj accused the BJP, leader of the saffron party's Delhi unit Manoj Tiwari condemned the attack and called for a "high-level" probe.

According to Bhardwaj, the attack happened at the chief minister's office, which is a "high-security" zone. He said it was a serious matter and termed the attack "politically motivated".

"The BJP is behind the attack and the accused are being aided by the Modi government," Bhardwaj alleged.

The Delhi BJP chief said such incidents "cannot be tolerated or justified by anybody".

"This calls for a high-level probe," Tiwari said.

Officials close to Kejriwal accused the Delhi Police of being lax in providing him security and alleged that this was the third attempt to harm him in less than a month.

The AAP alleged that water bottles were thrown at Kejriwal by Tiwari at the inauguration ceremony of Signature Bridge earlier this month.

"Around the time of Dussehra, an unidentified man had barged inside Kejriwal's residence and had tried to attack the CM," Bhardwaj added.