BJP aiming for 'political assassination' of Kejriwal but won't succeed: AAP after FIR against Gujarat chief Gadhvi

The AAP on Monday condemned the lodging of an FIR against its Gujarat unit chief Isudan Gadhvi and alleged that cases are being filed against its leaders as the BJP wants “political assassination” of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Addressing a press conference here, AAP Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson Raghav Chadha asserted that the saffron party will not succeed in its efforts as Kejriwal has the "love and blessings of people" with him.

The party’s reaction came after the Gujarat police registered a case against Gadhvi for allegedly tweeting about the expenditure incurred on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio broadcast so far “without any reliable data to back his claim”.

Also Read | Gujarat police register FIR against AAP chief Gadhvi over Twitter post on 'Mann Ki Baat'

“A new day and a new FIR. We vehemently condemn this,” Chadha said.

"While an FIR has been lodged against Gadhvi just because he took a small political dig on Twitter, the award-winning wrestlers are holding protest in the national capital demanding action against a BJP leader allegedly for sexual harassment but the Delhi police lodges an FIR against the accused only after the wrestlers approach the Supreme Court," the AAP leader added.

“The BJP (government) has two sets of laws – one for protecting its leaders and friends, no matter how big an offence they commit, while the other for targeting the opposition party leaders, especially those from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP),” he said.

Chadha alleged the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is targeting its leaders as it wants to “politically eliminate” Kejriwal and finish the AAP.

“Cases are being filed against one AAP member after another. The BJP wants to put AAP leaders behind the bars, fearing its political annihilation by Arvind Kejriwal… BJP wants political assassination of Kejriwal. Hence they are making every possible effort,” he charged.

The AAP spokesperson also alleged that the BJP is “misusing” central probe agencies and the police, especially where the saffron party is in power, “to target opposition party leaders, especially AAP leaders in view of the growing popularity of Kejriwal”.

“Do not do politics through the ED, CBI and police. If you have to do politics, do it in the political arena,” he said slamming the BJP. “Don't be so arrogant while being in power. If people have brought you to power, they can bring you down as well," he said.

”I want to give this unsolicited advice so that If tomorrow, any opposition party or a non-BJP party comes to power, they do not do such things with you," he said.

Police have registered a case against Gadhvi for allegedly claiming through a tweet that the Centre has so far spent Rs 830 crore of the taxpayers' money on 100 episodes of Mann Ki Baat, an official said on Monday.

"Police are the complainant on behalf of the government. The FIR was registered on April 29 at the Cyber Crime Branch after it was found that Gadhvi had tweeted against 'Mann Ki Baat' without any reliable data to back his claim. We will gather evidence and then proceed further. He has not been arrested yet," Assistant Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crime, J M Yadav told reporters in Ahmedabad.