Amid high drama surrounding Delhi law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar’s arrest on Tuesday over charges of cheating, forgery and conspiracy for forging his law degree, AAP Government mounted a blistering attack on the Centre terming the arrest “unconstitutional,” “dictatorial”. They said that Delhi Police is treating Tomar as a fugitive. The arrest of the 49-year-old Minister comes in the wake of a raging war between the lt Governor and Delhi Government over powers in the city Government.
In no-holds barred attack, the AAP Government said an “Emergency-like situation” has been created in the city. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said it was an attempt by the Modi Government to “teach AAP a lesson” and asserted no one involved in corruption will be spared. He added that the move came after the CNG fitness scam probe was reopened on Monday.
“Attempts are being made to create an Emergency-like situation in Delhi through dictatorship as we have come down hard on those involved in corruption,” said Sisodia. “There have been illegal attempts to create the post of a new chief of the Anti-Corruption Branch by creating an Emergency-like situation. They are creating such a situation in order to bring the ACB under their jurisdiction. This is unconstitutional,” Sisodia added.
Senior AAP leader Kumar Vishwas, who is embroiled in an alleged sexual row, said that similar charges have been levelled against various BJP leaders, including Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani, but no arrests have been made. “Similar charges are levelled against various BJP leaders, including (HRD Minister) Smriti Irani, Ram Shankar Katheri and Nihal Chand. I would like to ask when Modi Government will arrest themIJ”
“They forcibly took him from his office, shoved him in the backseat and even snatched his mobile phone. This is against the Constitution and law,” he said attacking Delhi police. However, AAP rebel Yogendra Yadav reacted to the arrest of saying that if Tomar’s law degrees are indeed genuine, then AAP should make them public instead of hiding behind court procedures. “The real issue is not technicalities of Tomar’s arrest; that’s for courts to decide. Issue here is Government and party’s refusal to come clean,” he tweeted.
Terming the move “dictatorial,” Ashutosh said an “Emergency-like situation” had been created by the Modi Government. “They have arrested our law Minister without any notice or summon. I have never heard something like this in my entire career as a journalist and a politician,” he added. “Emergency-like situation has been created by Modi Government. This is what he had done in Gujarat and he is doing the same here. This is absolute dictatorship and goes against the grain of democracy. I want to ask why Tomar was treated as a terrorist and arrested,” Ashutosh asked.