NEW DELHI: Activist and self-styled influencer Swatantra Bharadwaj has clarified his earlier claim of attacking the father of CJP activist Nishu Azad during a protest at Jantar Mantar, saying the incident was an act of ‘self-defence.‘“What people are calling an attack was an act of self-defence. If I had not acted in self-defence, I could have been lynched by the mob or killed.”“There was no attempt to attack him. I have proofs in the form of video. I was gheroed by 10-15 people. When I acted in self-defence, he was hit on the head. As per his medical report from Delhi Police, he did not suffer major injuries. I am cooperating with the ongoing investigation,” Bharadwaj said.Bhardwaj has been accused of assaulting Sanjay Kumar, the father of student activist Nishu Azad, during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar.His clarification comes after a clip from a podcast surfaced on social media in which he appeared to claim that he had “cracked the skull” of Nishu’s father and had escaped being jailed despite the alleged assault.“I cracked the skull of Nishu’s father. Do you know which section this crime attracts? Section 307. He needed 60 stitches. The man was being taken away in an ambulance in a serious condition. His daughter was standing outside the police station and saying that she would die by suicide if her father didn’t get justice. But I was not even jailed. The world should know this. I was out and about through the night,” Bhardwaj is heard saying in the video.He also appeared to claim that he had the backing of several political leaders, including Delhi minister Kapil Mishra, Union minister Chirag Paswan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.“I have the blessings of Hanuman. Secondly, Kapil Mishra is my elder brother. They say Kapil Mishra called and I was released. Chirag Paswan is my elder brother. How many leaders do you know? Do you know Modi ji? Modi ji is also my elder brother. I have everyone’s support,” he says.The video triggered criticism from opposition leaders, with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi questioning why Bhardwaj was not jailed and whether he enjoyed political protection.Bhardwaj has now denied that he was released because of political influence and said the remarks in the podcast had been made sarcastically.“The podcast clip that is being shared on social media by Rahul Gandhi and others is fake. Those saying that I was released because of influence from Kapil Mishra, I want to tell them that Kapil Mishra and Chirag Paswan are like my brothers. People should understand what was said in sarcasm,” he said.He maintained that he had been surrounded by 10-15 people during the incident and that Kumar was hit when he acted in self-defence.Bhardwaj also disputed claims about the severity of Kumar’s injuries, saying the Delhi Police medical report showed that he did not suffer major injuries. He said he was cooperating with the ongoing investigation.The allegations have sparked a political row, with opposition leaders questioning the circumstances surrounding the incident and Bhardwaj’s claims of political connections.
