AAP minister Somnath Bharti’s top 6 controversies

NEW DELHI: A little over 20 days in office and Delhi’s law minister Somnath Bharti has courted one controversy after another. Now, with voices demanding his removal getting louder, we take a look at his short but blemished stint in office...
Raid in Khirki Extension: On the intervening night of January 15 and 16, the minister was tipped off about a sex and drug ring operating out of this Malviya Nagar neighbourhood.Bharti acted on an impulse and decided take action a la a sting operation. He mobilized some supporters and even called in TV camera crews to accompany him in the raid. Police were called too. Four African women—two Nigerians and two Ugandan—were allegedly mobbed by Bharti’s men. The minister also had a spat with the Malviya Nagar SHO when he refused to do the minister’s bidding when told to raid a house without a warrant. The women were later brought to AIIMS for medical tests, which confirmed that no drug traces were found in their system. The women later alleged that Bharti’s supporters forced them to give urine samples in public and even molested them. A Saket court ordered Delhi Police to lodge an FIR on the complaint of the African women, who later identified Bharti as being the man who committed the alleged excesses.
Racist remarks: Women’s organizations and political rivals accused Bharti of mouthing racist remarks while dealing with the African women. He also allegedly said that Ugandans and Indians were different, and that black people must leave the country. At a public meeting in Khirki Extension a few days after the raid, Bharti clarified that he had nothing against all African people, but only “vulgar” foreign nationals indulging in flesh trade and drug abuse.
Invitation order to judges: Within a couple of days after taking oath of office, Bharti told law secretary A S Yadav to arrange for a meeting with all district judges of Delhi. The secretary refused, citing protocol issues; but Bharti allegedly took it personally and tried to ride roughshod over him. The peeved minister allegedly told Yadav to fall in line.
More uncouth than un-parliamentary: A video showing Bharti hurling abuses at people criticizing him for the Khirki Extension surfaced recently. Here, Bharti was seen saying that he wanted to spit on the faces of senior lawyer Harish Salve and BJP leader Arun Jaitley. Bharti also warned Delhi Police that people will pick each one of them and thrash — ‘chun chun kar maregi’ - were his exact words.
Skeleton in the closet: Bharti was indicted by a CBI court for trying to influence a prosecution witness in a case last year. Bharti and the Aam Aadmi Party contested this and even said the judge’s order was wrong. However, Bharti and his party later slammed the media for running reports based on “partial facts”.
The 'chowkidar' mantri: Bharti allegedly forced a 24-hour convenience store in Saket to close down after midnight on the intervening night of January 11 and 12. He allegedly barged into the Twenty-Four Seven outlet and demanded the manager to produce the licence. When the manager politely said that it was with the owner, Bharti allegedly threw his weight around and forced the shop to down shutters
Also read - Somnath Bharti: Ambitious, combative and prone to cross lines