After the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a summons to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal for questioning on November 2 in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Delhi excise policy case, a war of words broke out between the AAP and the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP).

The AAP has accused the Centre of attempting to imprison Kejriwal and dismantle the party, while the BJP views the summons as a “victory of truth.” There are apprehensions among AAP leaders that the ED may arrest CM Kejriwal after questioning him in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam in the same manner as party leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh who were arrested after questioning.

Also Read:Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal summoned by ED in liquor policy case on November 2

AAP’s stance on ED summons to Kejriwal

Delhi Cabinet Minister Atishi asserted, “There are reports that Kejriwal will be arrested on November 2. If he is arrested, it won’t be because of corruption charges but because he has spoken against the BJP.” She continued, “The AAP defeated the BJP in Delhi Assembly polls twice and also in MCD polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scared of AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. The BJP knows they cannot defeat the AAP in elections.”

Atishi also claimed that the BJP aims to finish off the AAP, evidenced by the arrest of its top leadership, including Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and Satyendar Jain.

Also Read:Liquor scam: Enforcement Directorate raids AAP MLA Kulwant Singh’s Mohali residence, offices

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj echoed Atishi’s sentiments, mentioned that the party has grown stronger when faced with opposition. He stated, “The BJP is trying to put Arvind Kejriwal and other top leaders of the AAP behind bars. Whenever attempts have been made to suppress and finish off the Aam Aadmi Party, it has only emerged stronger.”

The AAP’s Delhi state convener Gopal Rai asserted the party’s commitment to working for the common man and highlighted their resilience against past attacks. He noted, “They want to arrest Arvind Kejriwal since they want to finish off the Aam Aadmi Party. The AAP is not working for itself but for the common man.”

Also Read:Supreme Court rejects Manish Sisodia’s bail plea in Delhi excise policy case

‘Sharab Ghotala mastermind’

On the other hand, the BJP tore into the ruling party in Delhi with Union Minister Anurag Thakur stating that AAP leaders have been involved in corruption, and the truth about their actions is now being revealed.”Those who used to give certificates of honesty, his ministers went to jail one after the other and did not even get bail,” he said.

“For the last year, Arvind Kejriwal has been giving certificates of honesty to Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Sanjay Singh. The truth is that ever since he came to power, their leaders have been involved in corruption…AAP has done corruption in Delhi and Punjab. Today the situation is such that it is unknown whether the number of their ministers in jail is more or outside…” he added.

Welcoming the summons to Kejriwal, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla called Kejriwal the mastermind, the kingpin of the ‘sharab ghotala.’ While speaking to ANI, he said, “…The ‘sharab ghotala’ is a ‘ghotala’ of Kejriwal, by Kejriwal, for Kejriwal. Mr. Kejriwal is the mastermind, the kingpin of the ‘sharab ghotala’. There is no doubt left in it anymore. Today law enforcement agencies and all the investigation they have done so far has been vindicated by the Supreme Court…”

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan mentioned that no one is above the law and the allegations against the AAP need to be addressed. He noted, “The party that claimed to have come from a mass movement and was against corruption has been exposed now.”

West Bengal BJP unit President Sukanta Majumdar took a dig at Kejriwal and alleged that all the leaders in the opposition alliance bloc INDI are “thieves”. Majumdar called Kejriwal the brother of “Didi’ (referred to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee) and claimed that first the brother is going (to jail) and then the “Didi” will go to jail.

ED summons to Kejriwal

Kejriwal’s summons by the ED is linked to the same case that resulted in the arrest of his former deputy Manish Sisodia and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on October 4.

The ED summons comes after the Supreme Court dismissed Manish Sisodia’s bail plea, stating that a money trail of Rs 338 crore was “tentatively established” in the matter. Sisodia is the primary accused in the case.

Kejriwal was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in April regarding the same case, although he has not been named as an accused in the FIR filed by CBI in August last year.