CM targets Kejriwal over remarks on judiciary, absence from court
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday launched a sharp political attack on former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of trying to place himself above judicial scrutiny while misleading the public through what she described as a carefully staged political drama outside the courtroom.
In one of her strongest remarks yet against the Aam Aadmi Party chief, the Chief Minister said Kejriwal appears to function on the belief that his own word is final and unquestionable, regardless of what courts, constitutional institutions, or legal procedure may say. “He is behaving as if he is his own lawyer, his own witness, and his own judge. If everything has to be decided only by him, then what place remains for the judicial system?” the Chief Minister said while speaking to reporters in Delhi.
The remarks came in response to Kejriwal’s recent letter to a High Court judge and his public criticism surrounding court proceedings in a case in which a chargesheet has already been filed. The Chief Minister said repeatedly casting suspicion on judges and legal institutions has become part of Kejriwal’s political method whenever proceedings do not appear to move in his favour.
She said avoiding personal appearance before the court while simultaneously launching allegations in public raises serious concerns about his intent. According to the Chief Minister, seeking a change of judge or expressing apprehension over a possible verdict after the filing of a chargesheet cannot be brushed aside as a routine legal strategy. “It is inappropriate to run away from court proceedings and then question the judge in public. Such conduct weakens the dignity of the judiciary and sends a wrong message,” she said.
The CM’s attack did not stop at the legal front. She also strongly criticised Kejriwal for invoking national icons such as Mahatma Gandhi and Bhagat Singh in his recent public positioning. Calling such comparisons objectionable, she said political leaders facing legal scrutiny cannot cloak themselves in the moral language of freedom fighters in order to generate sympathy.
She said if a person believes he is innocent, the only legitimate forum to establish that innocence is the court, not a roadside protest or a media spectacle. “Sitting outside and calling it satyagraha is nothing but an attempt to confuse people. Noise outside cannot replace evidence inside a courtroom,” the Chief Minister said.
Her remarks suggest the Delhi Government intends to keep the pressure firmly on Kejriwal not only politically but also on the issue of legal accountability, an area where the BJP has repeatedly sought to corner the former chief minister.
In a separate but politically loaded comment, the Chief Minister also responded to questions on Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha and other leaders who may align themselves differently in the future.
Without naming any immediate political development, she said those who genuinely believe in nation-building and put national interest above partisan calculations should be welcomed in public life. She added that individuals who disrespect the country, the armed forces, or betray public trust should face isolation rather than acceptance. “Nation first should be the guiding principle. Anyone committed honestly to that path deserves support,” she said.
The Chief Minister also announced that the Delhi Assembly will hold a special session on Tuesday in which the Government plans to move a censure motion against the Opposition. The Chief Minister said the motion would focus on what she described as the Opposition’s disappointing conduct on the issue of 33 per cent reservation for women.
She claimed women across the country had expected a meaningful legislative step after the recent Lok Sabha session, but the Opposition failed to support that aspiration. According to her, the Assembly session is intended to formally register the Government’s condemnation of that stand.
