Social Media is divided over allegations made by Swati Maliwal

Swati Maliwal allegations: On several occasions, you must have heard the advice “Go with the flow”. But it is also advisable to apply your brain to understand the context of the things and your own reality. There can’t be a standard, one-size-fits-all template for fame or climbing the success ladder. Someone else’s hardships can be different from yours. In that case, portraying yourself as the epitome of those same hardships, skills, or “trending traits” (good or bad) is nothing but disingenuous, intellectual dishonesty, and outright criminality.

Removing the judgmental spectacles of social media

Currently, netizens have taken two extreme stances on the recent shocking allegations made by the Delhi Commission for Women’s (DCW) Chief Swati Maliwal. Both sides have abjectly rejected each other’s claim, turning the contrarian viewpoint from treachery to logic and reason. However, both sides fail to understand that their own version of perceived truth can’t be applied to every other case of its kind.

There is no denying the fact that there are a plethora of cases that have highlighted that there are some merits in the claims of both sides. With the passage of time, society has witnessed both sides of the spectrum, including the unspeakable ordeals of tormented souls as well as framed cases for fame.

So, without putting on the judgmental lenses, let us understand the claims of both sides so that you can make your own informed decision on this pertinent issue that has split the social media into two halves, both of which repudiate each other.

Allegations made by Swati Maliwal and the counter arguments

Recently, vocal Women right activist and DCW Chief Swati Maliwal expressed her childhood ordeal and alleged that her father sexually assaulted her. Speaking to the media, she said, “I was sexually assaulted by my father when I was a child. He used to beat me up, and I used to hide under the bed.”

#WATCH | "I was sexually assaulted by my father when I was a child. He used to beat me up, I used to hide under the bed," DCW chief Swati Maliwal expresses her ordeal alleging her father sexually assaulted her during childhood pic.twitter.com/GsUqKDh2w8
— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2023

Further, DCW Chief claimed that her childhood trauma was the reason that shaped her decisions. In her childhood itself, she made a firm resolve to fight for women’s rights.

DCW chief Swati Maliwal said she was sexually assaulted by her father in her childhood and the trauma led her to fight for the rights of women.
pic.twitter.com/z2ZbDwHSkn
— Ahmed Khabeer احمد خبیر (@AhmedKhabeer_) March 11, 2023

Several netizens have voiced their opinion, both in support of and in opposition to Swati Maliwal allegations. While some have shared Maliwal’s claims, stating that more women should come out in the open to share their ordeal. However, many social media users described her allegations as defamatory and false.

Several netizens, while sympathizing with Ms. Maliwal, shared their perplexed view of whether DCW Chief was equating beating with sexual assault. If that is the case, it raises serious concerns, as Swati Maliwal grave allegations would be cut off from reality and would in a way trivialize the gravity of charges of sexual assault.

I feel sorry for @SwatiJaiHind for her father assaulted her, but I still can not fathom from this story how can she equate beating with sexual assault
I guess this kind of disconnect with reality is dangerous for a person holding such important positionhttps://t.co/FEAOgydz4U
— ShoneeKapoor (@ShoneeKapoor) March 12, 2023

Swati Maliwal’s old tweet is making the rounds on the internet

In a rare sight, Congress leaders took a dig against DCW Chief Swati Maliwal, who is claimed to be an AAP sympathizer among socio-political circles. Congress leader Radhika Khera dug out a past tweet of Ms. Swati Maliwal where she had been lauding her father’s contribution and was proud of her.

डर तो अब दिल्ली की जनता रही है कि किन पाखंडियों पर विश्वास कर के उन्हें दिल्ली सौंपी!
सत्ता का नशा इतना है, छपास की बीमारी इतनी है कि कुछ का कुछ बोल दें।
हरियाणा में चुनाव आने को है क्या इसीलिए स्वाति व उनके पति ने अपने फ़ौजी पिता पर अब आरोप लगाए?
एक एक कर AAP बेनक़ाब! pic.twitter.com/kkDwVYSbjJ
— Radhika Khera (@Radhika_Khera) March 12, 2023

Netizens and several notable personalities and journalists have shared two tweets’ posted by Swati Maliwal in two different scenarios. They have accused her of defaming her deceased father for cheap publicity and allege that Swati Maliwal was proud of her father, an Army officer, only while he was alive. Now that he is no longer able to defend himself, Swati Maliwal is making grave allegations of sexual assault against her father, a man who she idolized and was proud of just a few months ago.

जब तक पिता जीवित थे, अपनी राजनीति के लिए उनके फौजी होने का फायदा उठाया, अब पिता जीवित नहीं हैं तो अपनी राजनीति के लिए पिता का चरित्र हनन करने से भी नहीं चूकीं !
मृत पिता पर आज जो आरोप लगाए हैं उस उनके जीवित रहने पर बोलने का साहस क्यों नहीं दिखाया?#SwatiMaliwal pic.twitter.com/tH1If5gEgH
— Ashok Shrivastav (@AshokShrivasta6) March 12, 2023

After her allegation, Swati Maliwal’s ex-husband, Naveen Jaihind, publicly refuted her claim and accused her of lying. Her ex-husband, Jaihind, accused Ms. Maliwal of lying and said she should undergo a polygraph test. He argued that her ex-wife, Maliwal, never mentioned to him that her father had “sexually assaulted her”.

In a video statement, Mr. Jaihind said, “Only Swati knows the truth. Swati Maliwal should get a polygraph and NARCO test done to prove the allegations as she sits in a high post and her father has passed away 20 years ago.” Now, whether there is any truth in Ms. Maliwal’s two contradictory tweets or not, it is up to the courts and concerned authorities to decide. But there are many more controversies that DCW’s chief has been embroiled in.

Also read: DCW chief Swati Maliwal summoned as accused in graft case

Swati Maliwal’s rich legacy of controversies and the taint of corruption

Just a few days ago, Swati Maliwal got interim relief from the Delhi High Court in a corruption case. Recently, the Delhi High Court stayed the proceedings against Ms Maliwal until July 26th, the next trial date in the case.

#JUSTIN #DelhiHighCourt stays till July 26, proceedings in corruption case against DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal.@DCWDelhi @SwatiJaiHind pic.twitter.com/xCHbyKl8C0
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) March 10, 2023

Earlier, the trial court in December 2022 framed charges against Ms Maliwal under the Prevention of Corruption (POC) Act. Later, she challenged this in the Delhi High Court. It is alleged that DCW Chief Swati Maliwal abused her official position to illegally appoint AAP members and her acquaintances between August 2015 and 2016.

In December 2022, along with Swati Maliwal, the trial court framed charges against Promila Gupta, Sarika Chaudhary, and Farheen Malick. The trial court stated there was sufficient material to frame charges against the accused. This corruption case was filed on the complaint of BJP leader Barkha Shukla Singh, who had earlier served as the DCW chief.

Following a preliminary investigation, a FIR was filed. There were allegedly 87 appointments made in all between August 6, 2015, and August 1, 2016. The agency claimed that 20 out of the 87 individuals appointed had ties to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Apart from the taint of corruption, Swati Maliwal was earlier caught in a controversy where it was alleged that she staged a molestation incident by a stranger. In an apparently filmed act, she alleged that she was dragged by an unknown driver on the streets of Delhi at midnight. However, the veracity of such claims is tough to find amid the abjectly deplorable partisan politics over such cases.