Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday greeted his former deputy Manish Sisodia on his birthday, and lauded his courage in an "era of dictatorship". Making a reference to the BJP, Kejriwal also said the friendship between him and Sisodia never be broken" no matter how hard "the conspirators try". The AAP supremo also shared an old picture of him with Sisodia, wherein the two could be seen walking a street.
"This friendship is very old. Our affection and trust are very strong. This passion to work for the people is also very old. No matter how hard the conspirators try.... This friendship, affection and trust will never be broken.
"The BJP has kept Manish behind the bars for last 11 months in a fake case. But Manish is standing against their oppression. He has not bowed down to their dictatorship now and will not do so in the future. Manish's courage inspires us all in this era of dictatorship. Happy birthday Manish," Kejriwal wrote on X.
Delhi minister Atishi, who was given charge of most of the portfolios held by Sisodia after his resignation, also greeted the AAP leader on his birthday calling him as the best education minister.
"Today is Manish sir's birthday. Every year we used to celebrate this day with much fun and frolic but it is sad that the person who fulfilled the dream of providing world class education to the
children of the poor has been kept in jail for 11 months in a false case.
"You are our inspiration and strength, Manish sir. Hopefully, you will be with us soon and we will celebrate this festival. My salute to the best education minister of the country," Atishi wrote on X.
Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 last year, for his alleged role in corruption in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2020-21. The AAP leader has been in custody since then.
The ED arrested Sisodia in a money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9 after questioning him in Tihar jail. Sisodia, who held the excise portfolio, resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28.
The Delhi government had implemented the excise policy on November 17, 2021 but scrapped it at the end of September 2022 amid allegations of corruption.
