Bassi meets Rajnath, says 'there was no security lapse'

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday alleged that the ink attack on Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was part of a "big rehearsal" to possibly "physically harm" him in future and that deliberately lax security was being provided to him by Delhi Police."The fact that the ink attack may have been a part of an attempt to kill Kejriwal can't be ruled out," AAP leader Ashutosh alleged on Monday.Ashutosh also claimed that "not a single" security person escorted the Delhi chief minister, who comes in Z-plus category, during his recent train journey from Punjab to the national capital after addressing a public rally there."I can see a method or a pattern here. There's a deep conspiracy and it's a well known fact that Delhi Police directly reports to the Prime Minister's Office and not the home ministry," Ashutosh told reporters at a press conference at deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia's residence."The attack signals that the incidents are part of a big rehearsal. The conspiracies are being tested time and again. One also needs to look at the kind of hate being whipped up against Kejriwal by BJP and RSS," he said.He said that the attack, where a young woman threw ink at Kejriwal in a public rally on Sunday, was not only "shameful" but also serious as India has had a history of assassinations of top leaders including former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi."After assessing the threat perception, the Centre itself gave Z-plus security status to the Delhi CM. We did not ask for it. Then how could a woman get this close to the CM and throw stuff at him? They can't claim that they were caught unawares," AAP's Delhi convenor Dilip Pandey said.Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay rejected the allegations and insinuated that the incident could have been "stage managed" while Delhi police said the charges were "misconceived and unfounded".Delhi Police commissioner BS Bassi on Monday met Union home minister Rajnath Singh and is believed to have briefed him about the incident."Any such allegations are misconceived and unfounded. I want to make it clear that necessary arrangements were made at the venue and there was no lapse in security," Bassi told reporters after the meeting.He said the woman, who threw ink at CM Kejriwal, has been arrested under relevant provisions of the law, and investigation is underway in the matter.When asked about Kejriwal's security, Bassi did not share details and maintained that adequate security for the CM has always been in place and it shall continue to be so.