Continuing with his apology spree, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tendered written unconditional apologies to senior BJP leader and Union Minister, Nitin Gadkari, and advocate Amit Sibal, son of senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, in two separate criminal defamation cases following which a local court here acquitted Kejriwal in both cases on Monday.
In his apology letter to Gadkari, Kejriwal expressed his regret over the allegations he had earlier made against the BJP leader.
“Both of us are in public life belonging to different political parties. I made certain statements, without regard to its verifiability, which seem to hurt you…I have nothing personal against you. I regret the same,” Kejriwal’s letter to Gadkari stated.
“Let us put the incident behind us and bring the court proceedings to a closure. I suggest we should put our energy to serve the people of this country, in the spirit of mutual respect,” Kejriwal told Gadkari.
Both sides submitted a joint application before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Samar Vishal on Monday, seeking withdrawal of the defamation case filed against Kejriwal. The court acquitted the AAP leader in the case.
In another defamation case, the Delhi CM along with Deputy CM Manish Sisodia tendered apologies to advocate Amit Sibal and his father Kapil Sibal for making “unfounded allegations” against them.
“On 15.05.2013 at a press conference…I made certain statements against you and your father. Now, I have learnt that the allegations I made against you and your father at the press conference were unfounded.
I hereby withdraw all my comments and allegations made against you and your father and apologize for the same,” Kejrwial’s letter to Amit Sibal stated. Sisodia sent Amit an identical apology letter.
Subsequently, Amit and AAP leaders filed a joint application in the ACMM’s court, seeking withdrawal of the case filed in 2013.
The latest Kejriwal’s apologies came barely a couple of days after he tendered an unconditional apology to Akali Dal’s ex-Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia over the former’s allegations about Majithia’s alleged involvement in drugs trade.
Kejriwal’s apology to Majithia triggered massive resentment among the AAP’s Punjab unit, with its state president Bhagwant Mann and co-president Aman Arora resigning from their posts.
Defending Kejriwal’s decision, however, Sisodia Monday said they were not interested in any “ego fight” and did not want to spend time in legal wranglings but in service of people.
“If someone is hurt by our remarks, we will apologise. We will not make it a fight of egos. We are here to work for people. We have not spared time for court, we have spared time for us so that we could fight for people,” Sisodia told reporters.
Kejriwal’s apology spree is set to continue. AAP sources said he is now expected to apologise to veteran Congress leader and ex-Delhi CM, Sheila Dikshit, and BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri.
Kejriwal is also likely to tender an apology to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in coming days.
The AAP has already signalled that the Delhi CM would opt for the same apology route vis-a-vis the FM.
Jaitley had also filed defamation cases against Kejriwal over the latter’s corruption allegations against him relating to his long tenure as the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) president.