Kejriwal jailed in Tihar after refusing bail bond
After the drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal is back to his theatrics. This time he was taken into custody after refusing to furnish a ` 10,000 bail bond in a criminal defamation case filed by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari for naming him among “India’s most corrupt” in January. He is likely to remain at Tihar Jail till Friday, the day of the next hearing.
Earlier Wednesday, Mr Kejriwal apologised to the people for quitting the Delhi government midway and sought fresh elections. Only a day before he was trying to form a new government with Congress help. This fell through as the Congress refused support.
Appearing in court in the defamation case, Mr Kejriwal refused to submit a bail bond. Metropolitan magistrate Gomati Manocha said: “When you are representing the AAP, behave like an aam aadmi. Let the procedure be the same for everyone. Is there a problem in furnishing bail? What you are asking for is differential treatment.”
Mr Kejriwal said it was a political case, and he hadn’t committed any crime. “I am ready to go to jail. We are setting a precedent. I am not saying give this treatment only to me. Give it to all.”
The Congress and BJP leaders launched a scathing attack on AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and termed the act of his refusal to furnish bail bond of ` 10,000 as a “publicity stunt,” but his party defended him saying he had taken a “principled stand.”
AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who accompanied Mr Kejriwal to the court, said, “It is a matter of prin- ciple and not a matter of money. If Arvind Kejriwal furnishes the bail bond, that would mean he is guilty. He had given assurance that he will appear before court anytime when called.”
However, other parties were unforgiving in their criticism, insisting that the law is the same for everyone. The BJP said that the former Delhi chief minister was acting like a “spoilt brat” after the loss in Lok Sabha polls while the Congress said he had “lost his mental balance” following its decision not to extend support to AAP to form the government.
Hitting out at Mr Kejriwal, the Congress said the former chief minister has even dared to challenge the judiciary. Delhi Congress chief spokesperson Mukesh Sharma said, “He has lost his mental balance following the Congress’ decision not to extend support to AAP to form a government again in Delhi. He is hungry for power. Now, he does not care even about the Janlokpal Bill or other issues.”
BJP leader Harsh Vardhan said Mr Kejriwal had levelled wrong allegations against party leader Nitin Gadkari, who gave him a fitting reply by filing a case against him.
“The type of politics that he ( Mr Kejriwal) is continuously pursuing in this country has been grossly and thoroughly rejected by the people of India and more particularly by the people of the national capital. I don’t think any more drama of this nature would help him,” he said. Senior BJP leader Vijender Gupta termed Mr Kejriwal’s action as a “publicity stunt” to gain political mileage. “He is behaving like a spoilt brat. He was very upset following AAP’s electoral drubbing in Delhi and elsewhere and that is why he is resorting to such tactics,” Mr Gupta said.