Arvind Kejriwal: Corrupt will go to jail: BJP on Kejriwal’s arrest, AAP protest

New Delhi: The BJP on Friday accused the Aam Aadmi Party of peddling a bundle of lies on the issue of its leader Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest, insisting that the corrupt will go to jail. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said politicians used to scratch each other’s back to help each other while indulging in scams but this has changed in the last 10 years under the government that led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Should he (Kejriwal) be released because he is a prime minister and not a common man,” he asked, alleging that the Delhi chief minister was a kingpin in a corruption case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

With opposition parties, including the Congress, rallying to Kejriwal’s defense and describing his arrest as part of the Union government’s crackdown on their leaders, the BJP spokesperson said it was a case of of thieves showing brotherhood.

He is the leader of the corrupt, Patra charged and added that AAP leaders are peddling a bundle of lies in the matter.

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were also on bail in a corruption case, he said, adding sarcastically that it was “bail bond” to them.

They also come together as their ships sink, he said. Dismissing the AAP leaders’ allegation of political vendetta, Patra asked whether people should believe the courts or them and said every thief claims innocence when caught. With the AAP insisting that Kejriwal remain chief minister, the BJP leader said it shows his greed for power and position as he and his colleagues rose in politics by claiming to have despised the very thing.

As Delhi government minister Atishi questioned the arrest of a chief minister and expressed concern about his safety as he has ‘Z plus’ security, he hit back, saying it shows their feelings of right.

He is saying how a CM can be arrested because he is not a common man, Patra said, noting that Kejriwal had once named the likes of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Lalu Prasad Yadav as corrupt and would ask when the would start going to jail people. .

The AAP leader said he entered politics to clean it up but started living in a palace and shifted to a security cover, he said.

“It is time to arrest the people involved in corruption,” Patra asserted.

Patra also played down a statement by Congress leader Ajay Maken in which he slammed Kejriwal for the alleged excise scam and accused him of using Rs 100 crore collected from it to hurt the Congress in the polls in the Goa assembly in 2022.

Even the Supreme Court spoke of a money trail of more than Rs 338 crore while denying bail to AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the same case, he said.

Following the arrest of Kejriwal on Thursday evening, the AAP issued a nationwide call for protest against the BJP.

BJP leaders called the protest a drama and a “celebration of corruption”.