The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
‘Kejriwal must resign’: BJP leaders hit Capital’s streets; 58 detained
MARCHING FROM Feroz Shah Kotla to the Delhi Secretariat, the Delhi BJP Tuesday demanded that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, arrested in the excise policy case, must resign and denounce his intents to continue his term from behind bars. Amid slogans like “Kejriwal Dilli chodo”, banners with messages like “Kejriwal sharam karo” dotted the rally, which was led by state BJP president Virendra Sachdeva. As they were on their way to the Delhi Secretariat, the protest was met by police water cannons. Around 58 protesters were later detained, said police.
Condemning Kejriwal’s insistence on “clinging to power” amid corruption allegations, Sachdeva said: “The way Kejriwal is insisting on continuing as the Delhi CM from jail, he is not only violating political ethics, but also showing that he considers the government and the party his personal fiefdom... (He) is not the first ruling political leader to be arrested on corruption charges. Recently, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren faced similar action... Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa was also arrested on corruption charges, but both resigned. Internationally, we have examples of various prime ministers like that of Pakistan, Japan and Italy... where they resigned after facing action against corruption charges.”
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, BJP national secretary, also condemned Kejriwal’s “obsession with retaining power”, which he said differed from his earlier claims of “indifference towards the chief minister’s chair”.
“This is the same Kejriwal who used to say he cares the least about the CM’S chair, but today, he is totally mad for power and the post,” said Sirsa, adding, “Kejriwal is already under arrest in connection with the liquor scam, and now demands for an inquiry into the liquor scam in Punjab is also getting strong. Soon, we may see the Punjab CM facing similar corruption charges.”
BJP MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, meanwhile, said the “regret in the eyes of the people who had elected Kejriwal as the CM is visible”.
Echoing the same, Lok Sabha MP Dr Harsh Vardhan said:
“Those who used to claim to be rigidly honest are now proven dishonest,” while he drew parallels to Kejriwal's ego and that of Ravana.
“It is being said that Kejriwal issued an order (government) from jail that they have to fix Delhi’s sewage and water problems, thus admitting that not much work has been done in nine years,” said Northeast Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari, who is set to contest the Lok Sabha polls from the same seat.
South Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri said: “Kejriwal had earlier said that AAP has 62 gems, but today, with the CM being in jail, all his gems have turned into garbage as no one is capable of taking his place.”
Bidhuri further said that Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita, could possibly take the CM’S position in his absence, but questioned her capability to head the state government.