Union Minister Chirag Paswan’s party, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), has filed a formal complaint against right-wing influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj for falsely and publicly invoking his name. The legal action follows a viral video clip from an interview in which Bhardwaj boasted about having “cracked the skull” of a student activist’s father during a July protest at Jantar Mantar, leaving him with injuries requiring 60 stitches, while claiming he evaded arrest due to political protection.
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Distancing and Legal Action: Paswan strongly condemned the remarks, stating that while many individuals take photographs with public figures, exploiting those casual encounters to claim personal associations or political immunity constitutes a severe misuse of his name. He has urged the Delhi Police to conduct an impartial investigation and ensure strict legal accountability.
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Support for Victims: Expressing solidarity with the affected family, Paswan affirmed that his party stands firmly with the student activist and her injured father, emphasizing that failing to punish such open admissions of violence would set a dangerous public precedent.
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Police Detention: Following intense protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) alongside parliamentarians Chandrashekhar Azad and Pappu Yadav, Delhi Police detained Bhardwaj in Uttar Pradesh. The detention came after authorities assured a swift legal response to the assault allegations and the influencer’s widely circulated claims of political patronage.
