New Delhi. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said that he has no “tension or worry” about going back to Tihar Jail. He described going to jail as a part of his “struggle” to save the country.
Kejriwal’s interim bail period will end on June 1. The Supreme Court had granted interim bail on May 10 to Kejriwal, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy, to campaign for the current Lok Sabha elections.
Kejriwal said in an interview to ‘PTI Video’ that he read ‘Gita’ twice in Tihar jail during his stay in jail for about a month before getting interim bail. He claimed that this has changed his perspective. When asked about being sent back to Tihar Jail, he said, “I have no tension or worry. If I have to go back, I will go back… I consider it a part of my struggle to save the country.” Recalling the time he spent in jail, Kejriwal said that he read three-four books including ‘Gita’, ‘Ramayana’ and the political history of the country.
I will not resign, BJP will get freedom to target opposition chief ministers: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that he will not resign from his post as it would set a precedent and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central Government would get a free hand to target Chief Ministers of opposition parties including Mamata Banerjee and M.K.Stalin which would be very dangerous for democracy.
The court has granted interim bail to Kejriwal till June 1 in the money laundering case related to the liquor scam and has directed him to return to Tihar jail on June 2. He said in an interview to ‘PTI-Bhasha’ on Wednesday that he will be released from jail. Will approach the court for permission to discharge the duties of the Chief Minister of Delhi. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in a money laundering case related to his government’s excise policy. BJP has been demanding resignation from the post of Chief Minister since his arrest.
Kejriwal and his party are accusing the BJP government of implicating him, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and other leaders in ‘fake cases’. The Chief Minister said, “After resigning from the post of Income Tax Commissioner, I worked in the slums of Delhi. When I left the post 49 days after becoming the Chief Minister (2013), no one demanded my resignation. In a way, I had rejected the post of Chief Minister whereas no one even leaves the job of a peon.”
He said, “I did not deliberately resign from the post of Chief Minister because it is a part of my struggle.” Kejriwal said that Aam Aadmi Party got 67 seats in the 2015 assembly elections and 62 seats in the 2020 elections. He said that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi saw that AAP could not be defeated in the Delhi elections, he conspired to arrest me.
The Chief Minister said, “They arrested me so that I resign and my government can be toppled. But I will not let their conspiracy succeed. This whole matter (related to the excise policy) is completely fake.” He said, “If I had done something wrong and got money, I would have become very weak from within and perhaps I would have gone to the BJP and all my sins would have been washed away.” Kejriwal insisted that he was forcibly kept in jail.
He said, “If I had resigned, it would have become a precedent and one day they will arrest West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and ask her to resign… They will also arrest Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin and ask her to resign.” Will say.” Kejriwal said, “Therefore, wherever BJP loses the elections, the Chief Ministers of the opposition ruled states will be arrested.” He said that after this his government will be deposed which will be very dangerous for democracy.
The AAP leader said that under the law, a person sentenced to more than two years of imprisonment cannot contest the MLA election. He said that he has not been convicted by any court till now and hence he can contest the MLA election and can become a minister or chief minister even while in jail. Kejriwal said, “…we will approach the court and request that the order be given the facility (in jail itself) to fulfill the responsibilities of the Chief Minister.” Targeting the BJP, the national convener of AAP said that it is involved in ‘drama’ in the liquor scam case.
He said, they have brought a fake case in which Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and he himself went to jail and now they are saying that AAP leader Atishi will also be sent to jail. Kejriwal said, “They (BJP) were saying that there is an excise scam of Rs 100 crore, for the last few weeks they have been saying that it is a scam of Rs 1,100 crore. Where did this money go?… Has even Rs. 250,000 rupees been recovered, has any jewelery been found… There is no evidence. “This is a fake case designed to arrest us.”
Kejriwal said that petitions were filed in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court to remove him from the post but the courts said that they did not have the power to remove the Chief Minister. The Supreme Court had on May 10 granted interim bail to Kejriwal till June 1 to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections.
Why are you targeting my elderly and sick parents: Kejriwal to PM
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday claimed that his elderly and ailing parents were being targeted to “break” him. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has “crossed all limits” by doing so. Kejriwal, the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), said in an online press conference that he has a message for Prime Minister Modi.
He said, “I have a message and appeal for Prime Minister Modi. You arrested my MLAs but I did not break. You arrested my minister but you could not bow me down. You arrested me and I was harassed in jail.” Kejriwal was arrested in a money laundering case related to the Delhi Excise Policy, and is currently on bail.
Kejriwal said, “But today you have crossed all limits. To break me, you targeted my elderly and ailing parents. My mother is suffering from many diseases. The day I was arrested (March 21), she had returned from the hospital. My father is 85 years old and has difficulty in hearing. Do you think my parents are guilty? Why are my parents being harassed? God will not forgive you.”