New Delhi, Jan 5, 2014, (PTI): Delhi Minister Rakhi Birla’s car was attacked today evening by some unidentified persons in Mangolpuri area here but she escaped unharmed.
The Women and Child Development minister, who is the youngest member of Arvind Kejriwal’s cabinet, had gone to a temple in northwest Delhi and was sitting in the front seat of her WagonR car when some people threw a heavy object at the vehicle damaging the windscreen.
As part of his party’s promise to follow austerity, Kejriwal has been refusing to take any security and all his six ministers have also said that they will follow their leader’s footsteps and not take personal security.
“I am safe. I am undeterred (by the incident) and I don’t need any security,” 26-year-old Birla said after the incident which occurred around 6 PM.
Her car was in a crowded area when suddenly some people from the crowd threw a heavy object which cracked the windscreen of the vehicle, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson said.
He said Birla was sitting in the front seat of her personal car and the incident took place at R Block Mangolpuri here when she was returning from Santoshi Mata Mandir in the area. She is the local MLA.
A senior police official of the outer district said that Birla’s car was attacked by some unidentified persons who damaged the windscreen of the car, most probably by a stone.
“We are registering an FIR against unknown persons and are trying to nab the culprits,” the official said.
Immediately after the incident, when asked by reporters whether she will take security, Birla said she will not seek any police protection.
“I will not take any security. This is a decision based on our principle. I am not scared and I will keep working for people’s welfare,” she said.
“Our party leader Santosh Koli had sacrificed her life for the society. We are committed to serve the people. I draw inspiration from Santosh Koli and will not be scared by any such incidents,” Birla said.
Three other party workers were accompanying Birla in the car when the incident took place. After the incident Birla had visited Mangolpuri police station and filed a complaint.
She had defeated Congress’ heavy weight Raj Kumar Chauhan to win the Mangolpuri seat in the recent Delhi Assembly polls.
28-year-old AAP leader Santosh Koli, who was to contest the assembly polls, had died in August last year at a Gurgaon hospital after she was injured in a road accident.
The fatal accident took place on June 30 last year when Santosh was riding to the party office with a fellow party member and a car rammed the two-wheeler from the back near Pacific Mall in Kaushambi in Ghaziabad and sped away. She had sustained severe brain injuries in the accident.
In the first cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Kejriwal, it was decided that no ministers and officials in Delhi Government will use red beacon.
The cabinet had also decided that no PSOs and escort vehicle will be provided to any officials and security will be allowed based on threat perception. AAP, in its manifesto, had promised to end VIP culture in Delhi.
Meanwhile, Birla had a hectic schedule today. She first went to the studio of a news channel for live telecast after which she attended a meeting on the working of Mohalla Sabha in Mangolpuri.
Thereafter, at 5.30 PM, she went to Santoshi Mata Mandir in Mangolpuri for a programme and at 6.15 PM when she was returning from the temple, the incident of attack took place in the crowded area.
