The ED has written to Union Home Ministry alleging AAP has received more than Rs 7 crore foreign funds in contravention of FCRA. The Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit has responded to it said, “there was also some news that maybe a few years ago this matter had also gone to court. I don’t have proper knowledge about this matter. If genuinely people have given money and AAP put forward the facts then there is no problem but if it is the case that someone is depositing money in someone else’s name, then an investigation should be done. The problem is that ED does everything during the elections so it creates doubt whether it is genuinely looking at something or doing it in view elections.”
Tag: Sandeep Dikshit
-
Ajay Maken, Arvinder Singh Lovely, Sandeep Dikshit: Congress Leaders Who First Accused Arvind Kejriwal In Liquor Policy Scam Are Now Rallying Behind Him |
NEW DELHI: In a remarkable twist of political fate, the Congress party has undergone a notable transformation in its stance towards Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s alleged involvement in the excise policy case and his subsequent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), shifting from accusations to defence. This significant shift in the party’s position has unfolded against the backdrop of the ED’s action in the excise policy case and the recent sealing of a seat-sharing deal between Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the forthcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Congress’ Allegations And Protests
Just a year ago, key figures within the Congress party, including Ajay Maken, Arvinder Singh Lovely, Anil Chowdhary and Sandeep Dikshit, were at the forefront of accusing Arvind Kejriwal in connection to the liquor policy scandal that rocked Delhi in 2023. The party organized protests, demanding Kejriwal’s resignation on grounds of alleged corruption and obstructed investigations while he remained in power. Congress leaders had staged a protest led by Anil Chaudhary near the Aam Aadmi Party office, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal following the arrest of his deputy Manish Sisodia by the CBI. The party had said a fair probe would not be possible as long as Arvind Kejriwal remains in power. “The entire Delhi government is fully immersed in corruption. As long as Kejriwal remains in power, there will not be an independent probe in the liquor scam, and therefore, he should also submit his resignation,” Chaudhary said.
The Congress party had also filed a formal complaint regarding what it termed as Kejriwal’s fraudulent liquor policy. AICC media cell chief Pawan Khera had claimed credit for initiating the probe, asserting that Congress pressure had compelled the BJP-led Centre to investigate the Delhi liquor scam.
Congress’ U-Turn On The Issue
However, in a surprising about-face, Congress is now rallying behind Arvind Kejriwal following his recent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the excise policy case. Congress Leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have criticized the arrest, branding it as ”unconstitutional and indicative of authoritarian tactics” aimed at stifling democracy. Rahul Gandhi even spoke against PM Narendra Modi after the arrest of Kejriwal and accused him of resorting to “dictatorial tactics” to destroy democracy in the country. He said that the opposition INDIA bloc will give a “befitting reply to this”.
Delhi Congress President Arvinder Singh Lovely condemned Kejriwal’s arrest, attributing it to BJP’s political manoeuvring ahead of the upcoming elections. Highlighting the pattern of actions taken against Opposition leaders, including the seizure of Congress’ financial resources and the arrest of Jharkhand’s Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Lovely condemned the use of governmental agencies for political ends. “Congress will not be intimidated by these measures and will continue to fight the elections with vigour. As part of the INDIA alliance, we stand firmly with AAP and extend our full support,” he said.
Sandeep Dikshit, who had previously accused Kejriwal, denounced the arrest as an assault on democratic principles. Dikshit lambasted the BJP, questioning the appropriateness of arresting individuals at their homes and linking such actions directly to the election period. Dikshit emphasized the abnormality of conducting raids at night and suggested that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) could have simply summoned Kejriwal for questioning rather than arresting him, deeming the actions as an attack on democratic principles.
Political Fallout Of Kejriwal’s Arrest
The arrest of Kejriwal has injected fresh tension into the political arena, particularly as it coincides with the looming Lok Sabha elections. While AAP leaders have mobilized to challenge the legality of Kejriwal’s arrest, BJP leaders have staunchly defended the ED’s actions, framing them as necessary steps to combat alleged corruption. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva defended the ED’s actions, accusing Kejriwal of evading accountability in the liquor policy scam and engaging in “political theatrics.” Sachdeva expressed satisfaction over the arrest, asserting that it was a necessary outcome to counteract what he described as Kejriwal’s attempt to corrupt the youth with alcoholism.
The BJP leadership has also rallied behind the ED’s decision to arrest Kejriwal, framing it as a just resolution in the face of alleged misconduct by the Delhi Chief Minister and his administration in the excise policy scandal.
Delhi Excise Case Background
Following a series of developments in the ongoing excise policy case, Kejriwal was produced before the Rouse Avenue court by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday. He was represented by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Kejriwal’s arrest by the ED, which occurred on Thursday, was precipitated by the Delhi High Court’s denial of interim protection against coercive actions related to the excise policy case. This arrest followed Kejriwal’s repeated non-compliance with nine summonses issued by both the Enforcement Directorate and the Delhi High Court, the latter of which declined to grant him relief from potential coercive measures by the investigative agency.
The crux of the case revolves around allegations of irregularities and money laundering associated with the formulation and execution of the Delhi excise policy in 2022, which was subsequently annulled. Kejriwal’s apprehension occurred amidst a broader investigation into financial improprieties linked to the now-defunct excise policy, with notable figures such as K Kavitha, a leader of the Bharat Rashta Samithi (BRS) and daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, also being ensnared in the probe.
Preceding Kejriwal’s arrest, other prominent individuals involved in Delhi’s governance faced legal repercussions in connection to the same case. Manish Sisodia, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, was apprehended by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, while Sanjay Singh, a member of the Rajya Sabha, was arrested by the ED on October 5. Both Sisodia and Singh remain in judicial custody, further highlighting the gravity of the allegations and the legal ramifications surrounding the excise policy case.
Importantly, Kejriwal’s arrest assumes added significance due to its timing in relation to the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to take place between April 19 and June 1. As the political landscape becomes increasingly charged, the ramifications of these legal proceedings extend beyond the confines of the courtroom, influencing the broader discourse surrounding governance and accountability in Delhi.
What Next For AAP?
As the legal battle unfolds, with Kejriwal being produced before the court, the political landscape in Delhi remains charged with uncertainty. With key AAP leaders already in judicial custody in connection to the same case, the implications of Kejriwal’s arrest reverberate through the corridors of power, shaping the narrative ahead of the impending elections.
-
Trouble in Congress? Party leader takes jibe over non-inclusion of G-23 in campaigners’ list
By ANI
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit has taken potshots at his party for not including ‘infamous’ G-23 in the party’s star campaigners list for ensuing West Bengal and Assam Assembly elections, saying if the high command thinks that 30 leaders selected for campaigning are enough to win the polls ‘then it’s good, what’s the need for other leaders’.“It’s up to the high command to include leaders in the list. If they think that 30 leaders included in the star campaigners list can make a difference then it’s good. If the party thinks that these 30 leaders are enough to campaign and win elections then why any other leader is needed for the campaign,” said Dikshit when asked why senior leaders like Gulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibbal and Manish Tiwari were not included in Congress’ star campaigner list for West Bengal polls.
He said that initially when these dissenters i.e. G-23 group of Congress leaders were rallying in Jammu on February 28, they were lectured by the family loyalists to campaign in poll-bound states but now their names have not been included in the campaigners’ list.
“If the high command has decided that these leaders (whose names are in the campaigner list) are capable of campaigning then why any other senior leader should be included in the list.”
ALSO READ | Kerala polls: Fresh faces in ‘better’ list, women’s expectation falls flat for Congress candidature
Prominent G-23 members including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal and Manish Tewari have not been included in the Congress list of star campaigners for West Bengal assembly elections.
The list of 30-star campaigners includes Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, party leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sachin Pilot, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Abhijit Mukherjee and Mohammad Azharuddin.
Other Congress leaders: former Union minister Salman Khurshid, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Bhagel, Mukul Wasnik, party’s Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh, Vikas Upadhyay, Anirudh Singh, Mohan Prakash, former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Nabam Tuki, former Chief Minister of Meghalaya Dr Mukul Sangma, Rameshwar Oraon, party’s state chief Ripun Bora, Debabrata Saikia, Paban Singh Ghatowar, MPs Gaurav Gogoi, Pradyut Bordoloi, All India Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev, Rakibul Hussain are among the star campaigners list.
After the Jammu rally, Gulam Nabi Azad had told ANI that if the party asks him to campaign during the polls, he will campaign for the party and for the individual candidates who will invite him.
However, by not including the name of the G-23 leaders and adding names of other party leaders, Congress has indirectly given a message to them. The dissenters have said that Congress is “weakening” and they are raising their voice for the betterment of the party.
ALSO READ | Kerala polls: Denied seat, Kerala Mahila Congress chief tonsures her head
A senior Congress leader who addressed the ‘Gandhi Global Family Program’, on condition of anonymity, told ANI, “We raised concerns but we were asked if we are worried for the party we should campaign in the poll-bound states. But now we are not included in the list we can’t do anything we can’t go for the campaign as the expense will get included in the candidate’s account.”
Twenty-three Congress leaders, referred to as G-23, had in August last written to Sonia Gandhi calling for “full-time and effective leadership” and internal elections including to Congress Working Committee.