Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on Sunday slammed Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal for issuing his first executive order from the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) custody on running the city government to Delhi Water Minister Atishi and termed it as “scripted”.

Tiwari raised questions about the legitimacy of the order issued by Kejriwal to address water and sewage issues in the city.

The Delhi BJP MP said, “A script was made today regarding a criminal in the custody of the ED. It was done after no one showed support (to Arvind Kejriwal).”

Tiwari cast doubt on the authenticity of Kejriwal’s directive to Atishi and questioned the timing of its issuance. “Today, a narrative was constructed regarding a detainee under the ED custody, following a lack of backing for Arvind Kejriwal,” Tiwari said.

Highlighting the dire conditions prevailing in Delhi, Tiwari emphasised the urgency of addressing the pressing issues the city residents face. “If you wish to witness the state of Delhi, simply observe its streets. The drains overflow with contaminated water, seeping onto the streets and infiltrating households, resulting in tainted drinking water,” he said, underscoring the gravity of the situation.

Tiwari further conveyed a sentiment of disillusionment among the populace, asserting, “Now, Delhi will not listen to your script. People of Delhi have lost trust in you.”

Earlier in the day, amid continuing protests by the ruling AAP against the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the liquor policy case, Atishi said despite being in the ED custody, the former was still alive to the needs and problems of the people in the national capital.

Reading out from the copy of the order issued by Kejriwal at a press conference in the national capital, Atishi said, “Even in this situation, he is not thinking about himself but the people of Delhi and their problems.”

“Yesterday, when this document came to me along with his directive, I had tears in my eyes. If there’s anyone who thinks about the bread-and-butter issues of the people, their problems related to water supply and cleaning of sewer lines, even under such extreme duress, it is Arvind Kejriwal,” the AAP leader said.

The ED arrested Kejriwal on March 21, hours after the Delhi High Court rejected his petition to restrain the central probe agency from taking coercive action against him.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of Delhi’s now-scrapped excise policy.

The Delhi Police on Friday detained several AAP leaders while they were leading a protest against the arrest of their party supremo.

The ED, which was given the custody of the Delhi CM till March 28 by a lower court earlier, alleged that the AAP is the major beneficiary of the proceeds of crime generated in the alleged liquor scam.

Two prominent AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, are already in judicial custody in the same case.