Kejriwal Faces Criticism From BJP And Congress Leaders Over Skipping ED Summons

The leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (Congress) took aim at Delhi's Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, on Thursday, criticizing his decision to skip the summons from the Enforcement Directorate related to an alleged liquor policy scam in Delhi. BJP's Sambit Patra labeled Kejriwal as "a hub of corruption," while Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit harkened back to "the Kejriwal of the Anna movement" and suggested that he appeared to be evading the issue out of fear.

Despite the controversy, Kejriwal continued with his political campaign in Madhya Pradesh's Singrauli. He not only told the Enforcement Directorate to retract the summons but also challenged the central government to apprehend the "ideals of Kejriwal."

He remarked, "For the last few days, they've been issuing threats in Delhi, saying that they will arrest Kejriwal. They threaten daily that they'll arrest Kejriwal. You may detain the physical body of Kejriwal, but how can you detain the principles and beliefs of Kejriwal?" He further added, "You may arrest Kejriwal, but how will you arrest the thousands, lakhs, and crores of Kejriwals spread across the entire country?"

Former Congress Member of Parliament, Sandeep Dikshit, observed that Kejriwal seemed to be evading the situation, suggesting he was running away from his responsibilities. Dikshit reminded everyone that during the Anna movement, Kejriwal had advocated for thorough inquiries into ministers suspected of corruption. Dikshit insinuated that Kejriwal's recent actions demonstrated a change from his previous stance, possibly due to fear.

Sheila Dikshit, Sandeep Dikshit's mother, had been the Chief Minister of Delhi when Kejriwal initiated a significant agitation against the previous Congress government at the central level. Kejriwal's protest called for the establishment of an anti-corruption body, Lokpal.

Congress General Secretary Abhishek Dutt also criticized Kejriwal, advising him to participate in the investigation if he believed in his innocence. Dutt referred to the actions of senior Congress leaders, Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, who had cooperated with investigative authorities in the past. Dutt urged Kejriwal to show the courage to confront the BJP.

In response to Kejriwal's letter to the Enforcement Directorate, in which he sought the withdrawal of the "ambiguous and politically motivated" notice, BJP leader Sambit Patra accused Kejriwal of being "a wellspring of corruption." Patra contended that Kejriwal had been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate because he was considered the source of corruption in Delhi, from which corruption emanated.

It's worth noting that the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Kejriwal, have an alliance in India's political landscape.