Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has tendered an apology for having levelled “unfounded” allegations related to involvement in drugs trade against Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia following which the latter has decided to withdraw the court case against him.
However, the “meek surrender” drew flak from Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Punjab unit leaders who termed Kejriwal’s step a “letdown”.
AAP leaders in New Delhi, however, said the move was to shed court cases, in which the party convenor finds himself mired, and hinted that a similar course could be adopted in the defamation case filed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
Former Punjab Minister Majithia claimed he was grateful that truth had won and Kejriwal had realized his mistake. Since the AAP leader had “tendered his apology”, he did not want to pursue the defamation case filed against him, Majithia said.
Drug abuse was a major issue in the high-octane Punjab Assembly elections last year and Kejriwal, who was leading the AAP charge, accused Majithia, then a minister in the State Government, of being involved in narcotics trade.
However, in his apology to Majithia, the Delhi Chief Minister said he had learnt that his allegations were unfounded.
“In the recent past I made certain statements and allegations against you regarding your alleged involvement in drug trade. These statements became a political issue. Now I’ve learnt that the allegations are unfounded. Hence there should be no politics on such issues. I hereby withdraw all my statements and allegations made against you and apologise for the same,” Kejriwal said.
Talking to reporters here this evening, Majithia said he had accepted the apology.