ED calls: ‘Will not bow to hooliganism,’ says Kejriwal; AAP chief is behaving like a fugitive, replies BJP
On Wednesday, Arvind Kejriwal in his reply to the ED expressed his willingness to cooperate in the investigation but refused to appear on the summons.
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday asserted that he “will not bow down to the hooliganism and dictatorship” of the BJP even as the saffron party alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo was “behaving like a fugitive” by skipping the summons issued to him. for the third time by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
“One by one, the scams of Kejriwal and his party are coming to light. Today he is not ready to appear before ED and is behaving like a fugitive,” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla told news agency ANI.
“If there is nothing to hide, why doesn’t he appear earlier even after the third summons?” the BJP leader asked.
Kejriwal on Wednesday skipped the third summons issued to him by the ED in connection with the alleged liquor scam case in Delhi. In the summons, issued on December 22 last year, Kejriwal was asked to appear before the agency on January 3.
‘Will not bow to hooliganism’
Earlier in the day, Kejriwal said he would not bow down to the hooliganism and dictatorship of the BJP. Accusing the ED of sending ‘false summons’ to him, the AAP chief said he has explained to the central agency why their summons are illegal, adding that his greatest strength and asset is his ‘honesty’.
“Many raids have been conducted across all BJP agencies in the last two years but not a single penny was found. If there is corruption, where is the money? AAP leaders are kept in jail in such fake cases. Now BJP wants to arrest me. My greatest strength and asset is my honesty,” Kejriwal said at a press conference on Thursday.
‘They want to keep me out of the LS polls’
The Delhi CM questioned the timing of the announcement just ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and said the Bharatiya Janata Party wants to stop him from campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections.
“My lawyers told me the subpoena was illegal. I wrote the question and sent it to ED. Do I have to respond to an unlawful call? If a legal summons comes, I will comply. Why am I getting a call just before the Lok Sabha elections? Eight months ago I got a call from CBI. I went and gave all the answers.
Today they want to stop me from campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections,” he added.
The AAP chief further said that he has always fought for the country and he will fight for the country till his last life.”
“Today, opposition leaders are being inducted into the BJP through ED. Whoever joins his party, all his affairs will be resolved. Today, honest leaders like Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Vijay Nair have been sent to jail. I have always fought for the country. Every breath of mine is for the country. We must save the country together. I am fighting them with all my heart, I need your support,” he said.
BJP aims to ‘finish’ AAP before LS polls
In a scathing attack on the BJP, AAP leader Jasmine Shah said the saffron brigade’s sole aim was to “finish off” AAP and “arrest” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Coming down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Jasmine Shah alleged that the BJP’s sole aim is to “finish” AAP and “arrest” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. .
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Shah alleged that all summons served by the investigating agency on the Delhi CM were illegal. It is clear that they (BJP) want to end the Aam Aadmi Party and arrest Arvind Kejriwal before the Lok Sabha elections. He is willing to cooperate in the legal process. So far, all summons served on him are illegal,” Shah said.
Akhilesh returns Kejriwal
Arvind Kejriwal also received support from Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi party leader and ally of the INDIA bloc. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister dismissed the ED summons as ‘nothing new’ and alleged that the BJP dispensation was putting all opposition leaders under scrutiny.
“This is nothing new; the government is investigating all opposition leaders, pressuring them and insulting them. The entire nation knows that agencies are being abused.” The biggest scandal so far was demonetization. One by one, all opposition leaders are questioned. This is nothing but a political agenda to distract people,” the SP chief said.
TS Singh Deo, former deputy chief minister of Chhattisgarh, supported the controversial AAP chief.
“Arvind Kejriwal has asked the ED for the basis of all summons. Arvind Kejriwal never said he wouldn’t go. He has just written asking for the basis for the summons,” Deo said.
Is Kejriwal above the law?, asks Anurag Thakur
Union Minister Anurag Thakur asked whether the Delhi CM was above the law of the land. The BJP leader alleged that Kejriwal is “afraid of appearing before the ED”.
“One after another, scams keep appearing. The AAP leaders have been in jail for over a year. Arvind Kejriwal plays an equal role in all these scams. People wonder if Arvind Kejriwal is above the law today. Why is he so afraid to show up at the emergency room?’ asked Anurag Thakur.
Kejriwal skips ED summons
On Wednesday, Kejriwal, in his reply to the ED, expressed his willingness to cooperate in the investigation but refused to appear on the summons, terming the notice ‘illegal’. Kejriwal further questioned the agency for not responding to his earlier responses when the summons was sent to him and raised certain questions about the nature of the agency’s investigation.
‘In his written reply to the ED, the Delhi CM said: “As a leading investigative agency, the non-disclosure and non-response approach adopted by you does not stand the test of law, equity or justice. Your stubbornness amounts to taking on the roles of judge, jury and executioner at the same time, which is not acceptable in our country where the rule of law prevails.”
“In these circumstances, I urge you to respond to my earlier response and clarify the position so that I can understand the real intent, scope, nature, extent and scope of the alleged inquiry/investigation for which I am being summoned .” added in his response.
(With ANI inputs)