As the Enforcement Directorate summoned two associates of arrested AAP MP Sanjay Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal cited Supreme Court’s observation and said that the entire liquor scam is fake and termed AAP leader Sanjay Singh’s arrest as the Centre’s “vendetta” against Opposition.
Kejriwal further maintained a carefree stance when asked about Congress’ conditional support to the AAP on the issue. “Nahi karte toh na karein (if they don’t want to support, let them be),” said Kejriwal when asked about backing by the Congress, who is a part of I.N.D.I.A alliance along with Kejriwal’s AAP. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Thursday said that law enforcement agencies were being used to settle political scores.
But in the next two paragraphs of his post on X, Venugopal brought up the arrest of Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira last month in connection with a 2015 drugs case and that of party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister OP Soni by the Punjab Vigilance Department in July.
Responding to media queries, Kejriwal said false cases are being slapped in an attempt to subdue and threaten Opposition leaders and parties, and an “atmosphere of fear” has been created, which is not good for the country. The Chief Minister was interacting with reporters during his visit to the Ghazipur landfill site in east Delhi.
“We are seeing how false cases are being slapped in an attempt to subdue and threaten opposition leaders, opposition parties,” Kejriwal said. In many instances, people are being “split” to induct them into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is not good for democracy, he charged. Kejriwal’s comments came two days after senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with its money-laundering probe linked to the 2021-22 Delhi excise policy case.
Kejriwal claimed that not only Opposition leaders, but many businessmen are “also being targeted”. “An atmosphere of fear that has been created in the country, not just in politics, but also in business and trade and industry, this atmosphere of fear is not good for the country. A country cannot grow (like this). The country will not progress by playing this agency-agency game,” he said.