India’s national capital saw protests and counter-protests over the arrest of AAP lawmaker Sanjay Singh in connection with a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy. While AAP workers gathered at the party headquarters against the arrest, the Delhi BJP leaders flocked to Rajghat for a prayer meeting for the “liberation” of people from the “corrupt” AAP government in the city.
Several AAP workers also gathered at the party office at DDU Marg, raising slogans against the Centre and demanding the release of Singh. A scuffle broke out between AAP workers and the police after which some of them were detained.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the struggle for liberation of the people from “corrupt” Arvind Kejriwal government will continue, alleging that the chief minister was the “kingpin” of the alleged liquor scam in Delhi.
Mahatma Gandhi used to say alcohol destroys both the body and the soul, Sachdeva said.
“Kejriwal has not only destroyed the soul but also the entire Aam Aadmi Party,” he said, hitting out at the AAP National Convener and the Delhi Chief Minister.
BJP MP Harshvardhan said, “AAP leaders visited this place (Rajghat) a lot. However, we are now witnessing that they are the ones who are crushing the ethics of politics.”
Another BJP lawmaker, Parvesh Sahib Singh, said the “liquor scam was unearthed” with the “blessings of Gandhi ji…who always opposed alcohol”.
“The day is not far when the mastermind of liquor policy Arvind Kejriwal will also go to jail,” he claimed.
The AAP, on the other hand, has alleged that the Enforcement Directorate arrested Singh as he raised issues related to the Adani Group in Parliament.
Addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader Atishi claimed that over 500 officers of the ED and CBI conducted raids at various places linked to the AAP leaders in the last 15 months but “haven’t found a single evidence” against them.
“They raided Manish Sisodia’s residence, offices and several other places but they couldn’t find evidence of corruption of even a single penny. And now, Sanjay Singh has been targeted,” she said.
“The ED officers raided every inch of Sanjay Singh’s residence but couldn’t find anything. They arrested him because he constantly raised issues of Centre’s corruption,” she added.
Atishi further said that if there is any evidence against their leader, the Centre “should make it public”.
“I want to challenge the BJP that if they found any evidence against Sanjay Singh, they should make it public or they should quit politics. They can send their officers anywhere where Sanjay Singh visited and I can vouch that they will not find anything against him,” she claimed.
