Atishi, Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate from East Delhi Lok Sabha seat, broke down at a press conference on Thursday where she accused cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir of distributing pamphlets with derogatory remarks against her. Atishi, who was accompanied by Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia during a press conference, broke down as she read out the pamplet in front of reporters. She said she had welcomed Gambhir, a former cricketer, when he entered politics but now the BJP has stooped to an unexpected level. AAP chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that he never imagined Gautam Gambhir to stoop so low. “How can women expect safety if people wid such mentality are voted in? Atishi, stay strong. I can imagine how difficult it must be for u. It is precisely this kind of forces we have to fight against,” he tweeted. Watch | AAP’s Atishi breaks down, says Gambhir distributing ‘derogatory pamphlets’ Gautam Gambhir blamed Arvind Kejriwal for the pamphlets and said he will withdraw his candidature if the charges are proven. He dared Kejriwal to quit politics if the charges were found to be wrong. “I abhor your act of outraging a woman’s modesty @ArvindKejriwal and that too your own colleague. And all this for winning elections? U r filth Mr CM and someone needs ur very own jhadu to clean ur dirty mind,” he tweeted. Also read: ‘Negative politics’, says Gautam Gambhir on AAP’s complaint of 2 voter IDs Manish Sisodia said the “language in the pamphlet is so abusive and low that everybody will feel ashamed while reading it.” Atishi has accused Gautam Gambhir of holding two voter identity cards—one from one from Karol Bagh and another from Rajinder Nagar. She has moved a Delhi court claiming a violation of the Section 125A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Gambhir has dismissed the charges as “negative politics”.<doc-sep>Aam Aadmi Party's Atishi with Manish Sisodia during a press conference in Delhi on Thursday. (Photo: Yasir Iqbal) Aam Aadmi Party's Atishi broke down at a press conference on Thursday as her party accused Bharatiya Janata Party's Gautam Gambhir of distributing derogatory and casteist pamphlets against her. As she tried to read contents of the pamphlet, Atishi broke down and claimed that the notes were distributed by Gautam Gambhir at a BJP rally ahead of voting in Delhi. "They have shown how low they can stoop. Pamphlet states that 'she is very good example of a mixed breed'," Atishi said on Thursday. Atishi is the AAP candidate from East Delhi. AAP East Delhi LS seat candidate Atishi breaks down during a press conference alleging BJP's Gautam Gambhir of distributing pamphlets with derogatory remarks against her says,"They've shown how low they can stoop.Pamphlet states that 'she is very good example of a mixed breed'." pic.twitter.com/z14MXXh574 ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2019 Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who was also present at the press conference, accused Gautam Gambhir of circulating pamphlets in an attempt to defame the AAP candidate. "Language in this pamphlet is so abusive and low that everybody will feel ashamed while reading it," Manish Sisodia said. Slamming the cricketer-turned-politician, AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he never imagined Gautam Gambhir to "stoop so low". "How can women expect safety if people with such mentality are voted? Atishi, stay strong. I can imagine how difficult it must be for you. It is precisely this kind of forces we have to fight against," Arvind Kejriwal tweeted. Never imagined Gautam Gambhir to stoop so low. How can women expect safety if people wid such mentality are voted in? Atishi, stay strong. I can imagine how difficult it must be for u. It is precisely this kind of forces we have to fight against. https://t.co/vcYObWNK6y Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 9, 2019 Atishi Marlena had earlier filed a criminal complaint against Gautam Gambhir for allegedly holding two voter ID cards. Gautam Gambhir, however, denied Atishi Marlena's allegations, saying one makes such allegations to hide lack of vision and poor performance. READ | Gautam Gambhir's celebrity status will go against him: AAP's Atishi<doc-sep>Gautam Gambhir faces AAP's Atishi and Congress's Arvinder Singh Lovely in the East Delhi seat. Gautam Gambhir, the BJP's East Delhi candidate, today sent a notice to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Atishi demanding an "unconditional apology" after the Aam Aadmi Party accused him of circulating an offensive pamphlet on his rival Atishi. Earlier on Thursday, he said he would file a defamation case against Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party. The former cricketer also pledged to quit politics, even if it meant resigning the day he won the election, if AAP proved its charge. In the notice, the trio was asked to withdraw their allegations against Mr Gambhir and tender an unconditional apology. Atishi broke down at a press conference called by AAP, where leaders displayed a pamphlet full of religious and sexist attacks on the candidate. "If Gambhir can stoop so low to defeat a strong woman like me, how can he ensure security for women as an MP?" asked the 37-year-old Oxford alumnus. Gautam Gambhir put out a series of tweets accusing AAP of making up the allegations in a desperate plan to try and win the election. Speaking to NDTV, he alleged that AAP had circulated the pamphlets. "They have been the ones who distribute pamphlets. I don't know where that pamphlet has come from. It has been there for a long time...tactics on how to malign someone's image. I'm sure none from BJP have ever been involved in something like this. I can give you in writing neither me neither my entire team nor our workers have ever got into something like this," he said. He didn't explain on what basis he was accusing AAP of denigrating its own candidate. The ex-cricketer said he was "ashamed" that AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal was the Chief Minister of Delhi, his city. "I used to call him Kejriwal-ji. Had I not been in politics, I would not even have taken such a person's name," he added. I abhor your act of outraging a woman's modesty @ArvindKejriwal and that too your own colleague. And all this for winning elections? U r filth Mr CM and someone needs ur very own झाड़ू to clean ur dirty mind. — Chowkidar Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) May 9, 2019 Gautam Gambhir, who retired from cricket in December, faces AAP's Atishi and Congress's Arvinder Singh Lovely in the East Delhi seat. He said with five women in his family, he knew how important women were and how much he respected women. "If you prove your allegations, then this moment I will give up politics. If some say I can't withdraw from the case now, then even if I win, I will resign on the first day. Will Kejriwal accept the same challenge," said the 37-year-old. The escalation in the AAP-BJP war took place as campaigning tapered down for voting in Delhi on Sunday for the national election. All seven seats of Delhi are with the BJP. "Do you know why good people don't come to politics? Because people like Arvind Kejriwal are present. Who can stoop to this level to win an election? I was taught that even if it is the World Cup Final, even when the whole country is on one side, you play a fair game," said Mr Gambhir.<doc-sep>Atishi, Gambhir in spat over pamphlet, Gautam Gambhir files defamation case NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party candidate for East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, Atishi Marlena, alleged on Thursday that BJP candidate Gautam Gambhir and his team have distributed pamphlets which contain extremely obscene and derogatory remarks against her.The pamphlet also targets chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy CM Manish Sisodia . The charge evoked a strong reaction from Gambhir, who not only hurled a counter-allegation at Kejriwal but also announced that he would withdraw from the contest if it was proved that this was his handiwork.Addressing a press conference, an emotional Atishi said she was extremely sad to see how politics in the country had fallen so low. "I had welcomed Gautam Gambhir when he was fielded by BJP, and when I met him during nominations, I told him that good people should come to politics because it is good for the country," she said. But the moment she started reading out from the pamphlet, she broke down. After having a glass of water, she resumed reading, but broke down once again.East Delhi DM and returning officer K Mahesh has asked Delhi Police to lodge an FIR in connection with an offensive pamphlet being distributed against AAP candidate Atishi, and start an investigation to find out who distributed the pamphlet.The FIR, he said, will be lodged against unknown persons. Delhi Commission for Women had taken suo motu cognizance of the matter and written to DCP, East, seeking a report.The pamphlet called Atishi a beef eater and an example of mixed breed because, it claimed, her father was a Jat from UP, mother a Punjabi and husband a Christian from Andhra Pradesh. Atishi has clarified in the past that she belongs to a Punjabi Rajput family. The remaining content - much more offensive and abusive - is not worth reproducing. "Never imagined Gautam Gambhir to stoop so low. How can women expect safety if people wid (sic) such mentality are voted in?" Kejriwal had tweeted. In a tweet, Gambhir said: "I declare that if its proven that I did it, I will withdraw my candidature right now. If not, will you (Kejriwal) quit politics?"<doc-sep>
Election 2019: Atishi broke down in the AAP press conference over an offensive pamphlet Atishi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from East Delhi, broke down at a press conference today as her party accused her BJP rival Gautam Gambhir of circulating a derogatory, scurrilous pamphlet on her ahead of voting in Delhi on Sunday for the national election. "Never imagined Gautam Gambhir to stoop so low," tweeted AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, as the hashtag #IStandWithAtishi trended on Twitter. Gautam Gambhir, a celebrated former cricketer, rubbished the allegation in a series of tweets implying that AAP had concocted the allegations to win and declaring that he was "ashamed" to have a Chief Minister like Arvind Kejriwal. He said if AAP proved its accusation, he would opt out of the election. I abhor your act of outraging a woman's modesty @ArvindKejriwal and that too your own colleague. And all this for winning elections? U r filth Mr CM and someone needs ur very own झाड़ू to clean ur dirty mind. — Chowkidar Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) May 9, 2019 My Challenge no.2 @ArvindKejriwal@AtishiAAP I declare that if its proven that I did it, I will withdraw my candidature right now. If not, will u quit politics? — Chowkidar Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) May 9, 2019 AAP alleged that the pamphlets, replete with lowdown, personal allegations and sexist attacks, were circulated by the BJP candidate in residential societies in East Delhi. "I have only one question for Gautam Gambhir. If he is doing this against one woman, what about the lakhs of women in east Delhi who are worried about their safety," Atishi said. In a tweet, Arvind Kejriwal raised similar questions: "How can women expect safety if people with such mentality are voted in? Atishi, stay strong. I can imagine how difficult it must be for you. It is precisely this kind of forces we have to fight against." Manish Sisodia, his deputy, said the language in the pamphlet was "so abusive and low that everybody will feel ashamed while reading it". Atishi, who is contesting her first election, has been working as an advisor to his Education ministry. The BJP's Mamta Kale said: "Absolutely baseless charges have been levelled against Gautam Gambhir by AAP. AAP has a history of lying and politicizing things." Gautam Gambhir, a debutant in politics, joined the BJP last month. Apart from AAP's Atishi, he faces Arvinder Singh Lovely of the Congress. Atishi had raised objections to Gautam Gambhir's candidature and complained to the Election Commission that he had voter ID cards from two assembly constituencies. The complaint had been rejected.