A heated political confrontation has erupted between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following the summoning of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP's top leader, Arvind Kejriwal, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning on November 2. This development is linked to a money laundering case associated with the now-defunct Delhi excise policy.
The AAP has leveled accusations, asserting that the Enforcement Directorate's summons to Kejriwal was a maneuver by the BJP to dismantle their party. In retaliation, the BJP has made counter-allegations, branding the AAP supremo as the "mastermind" of a supposed "liquor scam" and demanding his resignation from the post of Delhi Chief Minister.
THE AAP'S STANCE
Saurabh Bhardwaj, a prominent AAP figure and a Delhi minister, has alleged that the BJP is sparing no effort in fabricating a false case against Kejriwal. He contends that the central government's sole objective is to dismantle the AAP and incarcerate Arvind Kejriwal, implying an ulterior motive behind the ED's summons.
Atishi, another member of the AAP, echoes these sentiments, insinuating that the BJP is intimidated by the AAP's accomplishments in Delhi and Punjab. She posits that the BJP's response is an attempt to frame AAP leaders with fabricated charges and incarcerate them to eradicate the party's influence.
Sandeep Pathak, another AAP leader, goes a step further and accuses the BJP of deploying every conceivable means to eliminate Arvind Kejriwal from power. He suggests that the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has pursued multiple avenues to achieve this end, from legal challenges in Delhi and Punjab to the issuance of summons to Kejriwal.
BJP COUNTER-RESPONSE
Union Minister Anurag Thakur derides the AAP, alleging that the party has been mired in "corruption" in both Delhi and Punjab. He points out that some of their ministers were imprisoned and denied bail, casting doubt on their proclaimed honesty.
Shehzad Poonawalla, a BJP leader, dismisses the AAP's allegations and insists that Kejriwal is the "mastermind" and "kingpin" of the alleged "liquor scam." He unequivocally implicates Kejriwal in this purported scandal, stating that there is no longer any doubt regarding his involvement, as law enforcement agencies and investigations have been validated by the Supreme Court.
Virendra Sachdeva, the Delhi BJP chief, criticizes Kejriwal and the AAP, asserting that their real faces have been exposed after claiming to be honest. He references the "liquor scam" and maintains that Arvind Kejriwal played a central role in it.
RP Singh, another BJP leader, not only demands Kejriwal's resignation but also asserts that his government in Delhi designed the excise policy to favor the liquor mafia. Singh emphasizes Kejriwal's alleged role as the mastermind behind the entire "liquor scam."
ED SUMMONS KEJRIWAL
The ED's summons to Arvind Kejriwal is rooted in the same case that led to the arrest of his former deputy, Manish Sisodia, earlier this year, and the summoning of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on October 4. The ED's move came after the Supreme Court rejected Manish Sisodia's bail application in the money laundering case, asserting the tentative establishment of a money trail worth Rs 338 crore in the case. Sisodia is the primary accused in this matter.
In April, Arvind Kejriwal was called for questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding the same case, although he has not been formally named as an accused in the FIR filed by the CBI in August of the previous year.
