Differences in DCW come to the fore

Panel member Juhi Khan storms out of a joint press interaction with commission chief Barkha Singh, calling "politically motivated" the decision to issue summons to Vishwas.

New Delhi: High drama was witnessed at the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Tuesday as a member revolted against its chief alleging that she maligned the image of AAP leader Kumar Vishwas by issuing summons to him on the basis of complaint by a party volunteer that he did not dispel rumours of an illicit affair with her.

Panel member Juhi Khan stormed out of a joint press interaction with commission chief Barkha Singh, calling "politically motivated" the decision to issue summons to Vishwas and his wife and said she was resigning from the panel in protest.

The DCW had on Monday issued summons to Vishwas and his wife, asking them to appear before it by 3 pm on Tuesday but the AAP leader did not depose before the panel and said he has not received any communication from it.

As Singh told the media that fresh summons have been issued against Vishwas asking him to appear before the Commission by 12 noon tomorrow, Khan, who was sitting next to the panel chief, protested the decision and said the AAP leader is being targeted for political gains. Singh is a former Congress MLA and had a tussle with the AAP government during its first stint over then minister Somnath Bharti's alleged involvement in a midnight crackdown on a prostitution ring.

"It is a politically-motivated conspiracy. I am resigning in protest," said Khan, storming out of the joint media interaction with the panel chief.

The DCW chief, on the other hand, alleged that Khan has joined AAP recently and that was the reason why she opposed the move. "She is a member of AAP. She was sent by the party to create chaos in our press conference," Singh alleged.

Defending the issuance of summons to Vishwas, Singh said, "There are things which are going against him (Vishwas). We are further sending the documents to police.

"The woman has also alleged that Vishwas dismissed the issue as a small affair. Heard that he is going to America today. We have called him again. Fresh summons have been issued through police. We do not know why Kumar is showing so many egos. We have given time till 12 pm tomorrow."

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sought to defend Vishwas saying "everyone is saying there is no illicit relationship".

"Both of them are saying there is no illicit relationship but still channels are running all sorts of things. Even Kumar's daughter is unable to attend school as she is facing questions there," he said.