Oct 06 – On Thursday, the national capital witnessed a series of protests and counter-protests in response to the arrest of Rajya Sabha MP and AAP leader Sanjay Singh in connection with a money laundering case related to the now-defunct excise policy.
AAP supporters gathered at the BJP headquarters, displaying banners and blocking the entire area for hours to protest against the arrest. In contrast, Delhi BJP leaders assembled at Rajghat for a prayer meeting, calling for the “liberation” of the people from the allegedly “corrupt” AAP government in the city.
AAP protesters, raising slogans against the BJP, encountered police barricades as they marched toward the BJP headquarters with banners and chants against the ruling party at the Centre. Prominent leaders such as Gopal Rai, Atishi Jarnail Singh, Priyanka Kakkar, and Reena Gupta were among those participating in the protest.
A confrontation erupted between AAP supporters and the police, leading to the detention of some individuals. The entire area was heavily guarded, with barricades erected at various points along the road leading to the BJP office. Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dependra Pathak stated that they had implemented adequate security measures to manage the protesters.
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In a press conference, senior AAP leader and Delhi Cabinet minister Atishi asserted that over the past 15 months, more than 500 officers from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had conducted raids at various locations associated with AAP leaders but had not found any evidence of wrongdoing.
“They searched Manish Sisodia’s residence, offices, and numerous other places, but they couldn’t uncover any evidence of corruption, not even a single penny. And now, Sanjay Singh has been targeted,” she stated.
Atishi challenged the BJP to make any evidence against Sanjay Singh public, stating, “I want to challenge the BJP that if they have found any evidence against Sanjay Singh, they should make it public or step down from politics.”
Gopal Rai, present at the press conference, accused the Central Government of misusing the ED and CBI to target those who spoke out against rising inflation, poverty, and unemployment. He emphasized that the AAP would not be intimidated by arrest threats and would continue to advocate for the country, its constitution, and democracy.
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that more opposition leaders would be “targeted and arrested” in the future as part of a campaign by the BJP ahead of the general elections.
On the other hand, BJP MPs, MLAs, and other party leaders held a prayer meeting at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial, Rajghat, on Thursday, calling for the “liberation” of the people from the “corrupt” AAP government in the city.
After the prayer meeting, BJP leader Bidhuri stated that the entire foundation of Arvind Kejriwal’s party is built on corruption, and now its pillars are beginning to crumble. He claimed that both Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh were under investigation in the liquor scam and predicted that Kejriwal would also face an investigation soon.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva stated that the struggle to liberate the people from the “corrupt” Arvind Kejriwal government would persist, alleging that Kejriwal was the mastermind behind the alleged liquor scam in Delhi.
BJP MP Harshvardhan criticized AAP leaders for visiting Rajghat, suggesting that they were undermining the ethics of politics. BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh claimed that the “liquor scam” had been uncovered with the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi, who always opposed alcohol, and predicted that Kejriwal, the mastermind behind the liquor policy, would soon be in jail.
During a press conference at the BJP’s national headquarters, spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala and MP Parvesh Verma alleged that Kejriwal was the “kingpin” behind the “scam” and that his role would soon be investigated. They questioned Kejriwal’s lack of faith in the country’s judiciary and accused him of spending a significant amount of money on lawyers to defend Singh and Sisodia.
In conclusion, the political landscape in Delhi is marked by protests, counter-protests, and allegations surrounding the arrest of AAP leader Sanjay Singh in a money laundering case, creating a tense and polarized atmosphere in the city.
