Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva along with former Union Minister Harsh Vardhan and other leaders vow to fight against corruption at Raj Ghat, in New Delhi, Saturday, March 23, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: The Delhi BJP leaders on Saturday held a protest near Rajghat demanding the resignation of Arvind Kejriwal, currently in ED custody, and alleged the AAP is playing "victim card" to prove itself innocent.
The demand came in the wake of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arresting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in an excise policy-linked money laundering case on Thursday night.
The BJP leaders on Saturday paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and pledged to fight against corruption, singing "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram".
"We, the BJP workers, take this oath that we will always raise our voice first against corruption and will always work against corruption," they pledged.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva accused the Aam Aadmi Party of receiving Rs 100 crore in kickback in the alleged excise policy scam and Kejriwal of disregarding several ED notices for appearance in the matter.
"... Since November 2, the ED has been sending notices, but they were ignoring it, and when they went to court, even the court completely rejected it and mentioned joining the investigation. Arvind Kejriwal, who says there was no scam, then must respond, why was Rs 100 crore taken?" Sachdeva said.
Sachdeva accused Kejriwal of promoting alcoholism in the city with distribution of free alcohol under the previous excise policy.
Member of Parliament Harsh Vardhan, who was recently denied ticket by the BJP, said the party will continue to fight against the corruption of the Kejriwal government and have taken a vow to do so at Rajghat.
"Those who swore false oaths on children, they are steeped in corruption. But Kejriwal, who deceived the people of Delhi, must also understand that the people who brought you to power, can also depose you," Harsh Vardhan said.
"From social media to the media, they have been doing new dramas for the past two years. With the deputy chief minister and an MP inside jail, and even after ED sending nine summonses, why didn't he (Kejriwal) appear before the ED? If you are honest then why are you afraid of an investigation?" he added.
Member of Parliament from Northeast Delhi Manoj Tiwari said that AAP merits a book written on it with the title: 'Journey! From Swaraj to Alcohol.'
Later at a press conference, Delhi BJP secretary Bansuri Swaraj commented on a message from Kejriwal being read out earlier in the day by his wife Sunita Kejriwal.
"But Arvind Kejriwal himself is responsible for this. He used Rs 100 crore received in kickbacks from the liquor scam for the party and as per the CAG report crore rupees of taxpayers' money was swindled," she said.
Sachdeva, at the same press conference, alleged that the "anarchic" AAP is once again playing "victim card" on the stage by creating a false narrative of innocence and by claiming there was no corruption in the now scrapped excise policy.
"AAP wants us to believe that they are the sole guardians of truth and justice and that it's their duty to decide who should be behind bars and who should roam freely. But AAP leaders should not forget this inconvenient truth -– it's the courts, not their kangaroo court, which has the right to dispense justice," he said.
Earlier in the day, Atishi in a press conference claimed that the ED failed to produce any evidence against AAP leaders in the alleged excise policy case.
Instead, she alleged, the money trail and proceeds of crime indicate that crores of rupees were received by the BJP through electoral bonds from a businessman, who is also an accused in the excise case.
Sachdeva challenged the AAP to come forward with evidence that it had done no wrongdoing in the policy.
"If they truly believe in the innocence of your leaders, why don't they present their evidence in the court? Could it be that they are afraid of the scrutiny of the legal system governed by evidence and proper procedure?" he asked.
The Delhi Chief Minister has been remanded to ED custody by a court till March 28.