NEW DELHI: Twelve years after the horrific gang rape of the 23-year-old ‘Nirbhaya’ in the national capital, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is set to host a tribute event, underscoring its focus on women’s safety ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. The event, named Mahila Adalat, will take place on Monday at Thyagaraj Stadium in Delhi.
Designed to resemble a courtroom, Mahila Adalat aims to provide a platform for a focused discussion on crimes against women in Delhi, a pressing issue the AAP has been vocal about, party leaders said.
Senior AAP leaders, including the party’s national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal, incumbent CM Atishi, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, are expected to attend.
The event also serves as a tribute to the young woman whose death shook the nation and galvanized protests for women’s safety and justice.
Back in 2012, AAP, then a newly established political party, actively participated in the public demonstrations that followed the incident. Now, as the Delhi Assembly elections loom, the party appears to be doubling down on women’s safety as a central issue in its campaign.
The tribute coincides with the party’s re-launch of the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana, which promises financial aid of Rs 2,100 to women if AAP retains power. Currently, Rs 1,000 is being offered under the scheme. Seen as a strategic move, the party aims to appeal to Delhi’s 70 lakh female voters by highlighting its commitment to gender equality and empowerment.
AAP leaders have also taken this opportunity to criticize the BJP-led central government over Delhi’s law and order situation, which falls under the Centre’s jurisdiction. The party is framing women’s safety as a key election issue alongside pollution and other civic concerns.
On Saturday, Kejriwal wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting a meeting to discuss concerns regarding law and order in Delhi. In the letter, the AAP convenor raised concerns and pointed out that despite law and order being under the Centre’s control, the city is increasingly being recognized as the “crime capital” across the country.