Shortly after the arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor excise policy case, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday accused the former of playing with the lives of children as he increased the wholesale commission of liquor from 2 per cent to 12 per cent in order to get their commission.
Addressing a press conference BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “Today, every child of Delhi knows that Aam Aadmi Party and Manish Sisodia increased the wholesale commission of liquor from 2 per cent to 12 per cent in order to get their commission so that Aam Aadmi Party can earn big money.” Terming Sisodia’s arrest as an eye-opening matter, he said that it is for the first time in history that a Minister of Education was arrested for Excise policy irregularities.
“It’s unfortunate that a Minister of Education was arrested for Excise policy. It’s an eye-opening and shocking matter. Manish Sisodia played with the lives of children,” said Patra.
Hitting out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Patra said that not a single reason was given for withdrawing the Excise policy by the AAP and its leaders.
“We asked why blacklisted companies that could not be allocated contracts were given contracts. Besides, we asked many questions regarding irregularities and corruption. However, the AAP evaded these questions and failed to provide any answers,” he said.
“In the last, 1 year did Arvind Kejriwal or an AAP member ever conduct a single press conference for explaining excise policy? We asked why did they withdraw their excise policy abruptly for which they always spoke in favour? They did not state even a single reason,” he added.
Referring to the year before 2014, Patra said that Kejriwal had raised issues about liquor shops in the area and had promised to shut them down once they form the government.
“Before 2014, Kejriwal ji used to say that we will go to every neighborhood in Delhi, ask women what do you want? If women say that liquor shops should be closed, then they will be closed. But after coming to power, the party conspired to open liquor shops near temples and near schools for commission,” said Sambit Patra.
In a scathing attack on Delhi CM Kejriwal, the BJP spokesperson said that the former has been going to the house of those people whom he used to call corrupt.
“This is the same Aam Aadmi Party that earlier used to bring out a list every day that these people are the most corrupt in the country. Today Arvind Kejriwal is going to the house of those people whom he used to call the most corrupt,” said Sambit Patra.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a tweet said that Manish Sisodia is innocent and termed his arrest as dirty politics.
“Manish is innocent. His arrest is dirty politics. There is a lot of anger among the people due to the arrest of Manish. Everyone is watching. People are understanding everything. People will respond to this,” Tweeted Kejriwal in Hindi.
In a cryptic comment on CM Kejriwal’s tweet, Patra said that Kejriwal should instead tweet the answers to the six questions raised by the Bharatiya Janta Party and the people of country.
“Arvind Kejriwal has been tweeting so much, you (media) should ask him to instead tweet the answers to the six questions raised by BJP and the people of the country,” said Patra.
Earlier in the day, Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after eight hours of questioning.
Shortly before arriving at the CBI office for questioning, the Deputy Chief Minister said false cases are being lodged against leaders of the party as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “afraid” of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
“Conspiracies are being hatched by the CBI and ED and false cases being lodged against our party leaders because PM Narendra Modi is afraid of CM Arvind Kejriwal’s rising popularity. As AAP grows further, BJP will continue to slap false cases on us. We are not afraid of the CBI, ED and their false cases,” Sisodia said, claiming that people were starting to regard the AAP as an alternative to the BJP.
He said that the PM, while not afraid of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, was scared of the AAP.
“Everyone says that only AAP will rid the country of the BJP in future. Modi-ji may not be scared of Rahul Gandhi but if there’s one party that he is scared, it is the AAP. They will put me in jail, but we are not afraid. We will fight. Kejriwal is the only future leader of this country,” Sisodia said, addressing supporters at Raj Ghat.
He further appealed to Arvind Kejriwal to “keep fighting” for the welfare of the people.
“I want to tell Kejriwal-ji, please continue with what are you doing. Keep fighting for the welfare of the people,” Sisodia said.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers were heard chanting “Modi Mar Gaya” slogans outside Fatehpur Beri Police Station in support of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who appeared before the CBI for interrogation in connection with alleged excise policy scam today.
The Delhi Police had detained 50 workers and leaders of the AAP.