Delhi excise policy case: AAP-BJP war of words after ED summons CM Arvind Kejriwal
- AAP alleges Centre wants to finish off the party. BJP welcomes summons, calls Kejriwal mastermind of 'sharab ghotala'
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on November 2, to question him in connection with its ongoing probe into the Delhi excise policy case. This summon also came after SC rejected two separate bail pleas of former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and said that a transfer of ₹338 crore was tentatively established in the matter.
Earlier in April this year, Kejriwal was also summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the same case, however, he was not named as an accused in the first information report (FIR) filed by the CBI on August 17 last year.
Also Read: Delhi liquor scam: ED raids AAP MLA Kulwant Singh in Punjab
Meanwhile, the Delhi government implemented the policy on November 17, 2021 but scrapped it at the end of September 2022 amid allegations of corruption.
After the summons were issued to Delhi CM, war of words have emerged between the AAP and BJP. The AAP has alleged that the Centre wants to send Arvind Kejriwal to jail and finish off the party while the BJP welcomed the summons to Kejriwal, saying it was a "victory of truth". AAP leader Atishi has also claimed that that there are apprehensions that the ED will arrest CM Kejriwal on 2 November after questioning him in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam.
AAP leader and Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said it's clear from the ED's notice that the BJP-led central government's "only aim" is to finish off the party.
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “The time has come to sacrifice everything for the country. No one including our party leaders and workers is afraid of going to jail. It is clear that the Central government wants to finish the Aam Aadmi Party. Now, they want to put Arvind Kejriwal in jail.”
Her further added that, “Two days back, Manoj Tiwari said that Arvind Kejriwal and Raghav Chadha would be arrested. It is part of BJP's political strategy to put top leaders of Aam Aadmi Party behind the bars and finish it. The reason is political and they have a problem with us.”
Another AAP leader Sandeep Pathak said that the only aim of the BJP is to remove CM Arvind Kejriwal by any means. While speaking to ANI, he said, “...The only aim of BJP and PM Narendra Modi is to remove CM Arvind Kejriwal by any means. First, they did it through legal means. They tried first in Delhi and then in Punjab but failed again. And when the AAP party reached Gujarat, they could not deal with it...Then they started conspiring and started arresting big leaders of our party on false charges. Even after this, they saw that the party was not breaking. Then they issued summons to Arvind Kejriwal...”
Speaking on ED summons, Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut said that be it AAP, RJD, TMC, NCP, or Shiv Sena, there have been false cases against all the prominent leaders. He further alleged that the CBI and ED have been given work to politically finish these people.
Welcoming the summons to Kejriwal, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla called Kejriwal mastermind, the kingpin of the 'sharab ghotala.' While speaking to ANI, he said, “...The 'sharab ghotala' is a 'ghotala' of Kejriwal, by Kejriwal, for Kejriwal. Mr Kejriwal is the mastermind, the kingpin of the 'sharab ghotala'. There is no doubt left in it anymore. Today law enforcement agencies and all the investigation they have done so far has been vindicated by the Supreme Court…”
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that party that claimed to have come from a mass movement and was against corruption has been exposed now. Speaking to ANI, Pradhan said, "No one can be above the law... The party that claimed to have come from a mass movement and was against corruption has been exposed now...There are many allegations against them. This is about their government's liquor policy, so as a CM, he will have to give the answer... Agencies will do their work. The main concern is the allegation against them and its proof..."
West Bengal BJP unit President Sukanta Majumdar took a dig at Kejriwal and alleged that all the leaders in the opposition alliance bloc INDI are "thieves". Majumdar called Kejriwal brother of "Didi' (referred to WB CM Mamata Banerjee) and claimed that first the brother is going (to jail) and then the "Didi" will go to jail.
Speaking to ANI, he said, “...He (Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal) is the brother of our 'didi' (West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee)...Because of the wisdom that 'didi' has given him, his Deputy Chief Minister is in jail and now we can see that the Chief Minister is going to go to jail. So whoever stays with CM Mamata Banerjee will have to go to jail."
Apart from this, Sukhbir Singh Badal, the leader of the Shiromani Akal Dal, has also demanded a comprehensive investigation into the alleged Punjab Excise Scam and called it Looteryan Di Party.
Taking to X, Sukhbir Singh Badal stated, "Twin developments, including the rejection of the bail plea of ex-Delhi CM Manish Sisodia and summoning of Aam Aadmi Party Convener, Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi Excise Policy Scam on Nov 2, calls for a thorough probe into the Punjab Excise Scam too. The Punjab scam was patterned on the Delhi one & is already under the Enforcement Directorate scanner. The role of CM Bhagwant Mann & all other participants including Harpal Cheema and Raghav Chadha need to be probed to get to the bottom of the ₹550 crore scam. This "Looteryan Di Party" should be held to account.
(With inputs from ANI)
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Business NewsPoliticsNewsDelhi excise policy case: AAP-BJP war of words after ED summons CM Arvind Kejriwal
First Published:31 Oct 2023, 10:15 AM IST
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