The BJP on Sunday alleged that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is the “kingpin” of the excise policy “scam” and said handcuffs are getting close to him as nodes of corruption are being unravelled.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that Mr. Kejriwal was busy indulging in corruption when Covid-affected people needed his help.
“Roots of the excise policy ‘scam’ lead to the doorstep of corrupt Kejriwal. No one is above law and no corrupt person will be spared,” he said.
Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta, who also addressed the press conference, said, “Delhi’s excise policy has proved to be a corrupt one. Arvind Kejriwal is the kingpin of this entire scam.”
Mr. Bhatia said the AAP should tell within 24 hours why it withdrew the new excise policy if there was no corruption in the matter.
He said the AAP’s corruption is a bigger guarantee than the guarantee of ISI mark.
The Health Ministers of the AAP Governments in Delhi and Punjab are in jail on charges of corruption, he said.
“When the second wave of Covid pandemic arrived, the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured supply of medicines and improved healthcare infrastructure.
“Kejriwal should have paid attention to the need for medicines, beds and oxygen at that time, but his corrupt pen was busy signing the excise policy.” Mr. Bhatia said.
The BJP leader said Mr. Kejriwal, Mr. Sisodia and Mr. Satyendar Jain are “hardcore corrupt” people.
“Today, the people of India are saying — Ye AAP nahi, paap hai; bhrashtachar ka baap hai, aur janta ke liye abhishap hai [This is not AAP but a sin, it is the father of the corruption, a curse for people],” he said.
On Mr. Sisodia’s claim that a lookout circular has been issued against him, Mr. Bhatia said, “Scamsters receive lookout notice only and not greeting cards.”
On the AAP’s claim that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be a direct fight between Mr. Kejriwal and Mr. Modi, the BJP spokesperson said everyone knows what happened in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa polls. The public will give the AAP a reply, he said.
Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said it has happened for the first time in Independent India that the Education Minister of a State is also the “Minister of liquor”.
The excise policy is a policy of sins, corruption and atrocities, he said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on August 19 raided 31 locations, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s residence, in connection with the irregularities in the Delhi Government’s Excise Policy 2021-22.
