No Politics Please: As Nirbhaya’s Mother Rebuffs Congress Advance, Kejriwal Looks to Nip Buzz in the Bud

New Delhi: Hours after Nirbhaya's mother Asha Devi asserted that she was “not interested” in politics and put an end to speculation of her contesting the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal made a fervent appeal that there should not be any political blame game over the case as he strived to stay above the fray.

In a video message on his Twitter account, Kejriwal said two senior BJP minister had in the last three days twice tried to pin the blame of the delay in hanging of the convicts on the Delhi government and asserted nothing will come out of this.

“I am sad that politics is being played on such a sensitive matter,” he said in the three-and-half minute clip as he repeatedly stressed that the Delhi government and the central government should work together to ensure that the four convicts in the 2012 gang-rape and murder case are executed at the earliest.

His message came after Asha Devi denied rumours that she may join the Congress and contest the election against Kejriwal from the New Delhi constituency. The buzz had gained steam after sportsperson-turned-politician and former Congress MP Kirti Azad shared a tweet with the comment: “Ae Maa Tujhe Salam. Asha Devi Ji Aapka Swagat Hai (Salute to the mother. Welcome Asha Devi)."

But Nirbhaya’ mother, who broke down on national television on Friday after a Delhi court issued a fresh death warrant against the convicts for February 1, said she had not contacted anyone from the Congress and only wants justice for her daughter and execution of the convicts.

Looking to clear the AAP’s name from the blame that has come its way in the last two days for the delay in the hanging, Kejriwal requested the Centre to work with the Delhi government to ensure that the convicts are sent to the gallows.

He pointed out that three days ago, union minister Prakash Javadekar said that the delay was due to AAP and today, Smriti Irani said the same thing.

“I want to ask them if abusing the AAP would help in executing the Nirbhaya case convicts. Nothing will come out of the AAP and the BJP abusing each other,” he said, adding that it was the duty of both governments towards the nation, society, all women and Nirbhaya’s parents to ensure justice in the case.

The AAP president further said that they should also join hands to come up with a system so that such “beasts get hanged within six months”.

“We have to together make the city and our country safer for women. Please don’t do politics on this. I don’t blame the central government for this. Both governments are trying everything they can,” he added.

Vinay Sharma, Mukesh Singh, Akshay Kumar Singh and Pawan Gupta were to be hanged at Delhi's Tihar Jail on January 22, a trial court had declared last week, but the Delhi government on Wednesday said that the execution can’t take place since the mercy petition of one was pending. According to the rules, the government said the convicts would have to be given a 14-day notice even if their mercy pleas were rejected.