Drug charges: Kejriwal says sorry, Majithia withdraws defamation case
It’s a meek surrender, cry party’s Punjab leaders, say they weren’t consulted
› The apology is a letdown to the people, especially the youth of the state. We in Punjab have not been taken into loop. KANWAR SANDHU,
Kharar AAP MLA
CHANDIGARH: Former Akali Dal minister Bikram Singh Majithia on Thursday withdrew a defamation case filed against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his party colleague, Ashish Khaitan, at an Amritsar court last year.
Majithia took the step after Kejriwal – also the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener – sent a letter apologising for levelling “unfounded” allegations of drug trade against him in the run-up to the state assembly polls last January. The defamation case was filed on May 20, 2016, a few days after Kejriwal accused Majithia of being involved in the drug trade at an AAP rally in Amritsar. The issue became the main rallying point of the fledgling party’s poll campaign against the Akali-bjp government in the weeks that followed.
Kejriwal, in his letter, expressed regret over tarnishing Majithia’s reputation. “In the past, I made certain statements against you regarding your alleged involvement in the drug trade. These statements became a political issue. Now I have found that the allegations are unfounded, and hence, there should be no politics on such issues. I hereby withdraw all the statements and allegations made against you and apologise for the same,” he wrote.
Soon afterwards, Majithia announced that he has decided to withdraw the case against Kejriwal and Khaitan in the light of the apology. “I am thankful to my party, its leaders, my family and the lawyers who stood by me in these tough times,” he said at a press brief- ing on Thursday. A similar case filed against Sanjay Singh, the then Punjab incharge of AAP, is still being pursued in a Ludhiana court.
Kejriwal’s apology drew flak from party’s Punjab unit leaders who described it a “meek surrender.” “We’re appalled n stunned by the apology of @arvindkejriwal tendered today, we don’t hesitate to admit that we haven’t been consulted on this meek surrender by a leader of his stature,” wrote leader of opposition Sukhpal Khaira on Twitter. In another tweet, Khaira said he would continue tirade on burning issue of drugs destroying the youth of Punjab.
Kharar AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu also tweeted saying that apology is a letdown to the people, especially the youth of Punjab. “We in Punjab have not been taken into loop. Our fight for Punjab continues,” he said.
AAP co-president Aman Arora said he was shocked and disappointed to know about the apology tendered by Kejriwal. “I still believe drugs would not have taken so many young lives had the previous government not patronised drug mafia. Our fight against drugs continues,” he tweeted.