'If Manish Sisodia joins BJP today...': Kejriwal's jibe on AAP leaders' arrest
Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain news: Delhi's former deputy chief minister and the capital's health minister both quit Tuesday night after they were jailed on corruption allegations.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party Wednesday evening amid the row over the arrest (and resignation) of Manish Sisodia over alleged irregularities in the liquor excise policy case, asking 'if Manish Sisodia joins BJP today, won't he be released tomorrow?'
In a statement after meeting Aam Aadmi Party MLAs and councillors, Kejriwal continued: "All cases will be withdrawn. If Satyendar Jain joins BJP today, all cases will be withdrawn and he'd be released from jail tomorrow. Issue isn't corruption but to stop work and send CBI-ED after opposition."
Kejriwal also launched a staunch defence of Sisodia and Jain, who led the Delhi government's education and health ministries among several others.
"Two people who brought laurels to India have been jailed by PM Modi. Excise policy was an excuse… there was no scam. Sisodia was arrested as he did good work in education… Jain was arrested as he did good work in health."
READ | 'Jailed for making India proud': Kejriwal hits out at Sisodia's arrest
This was the chief minister's first public statement since the tumultuous events of Tuesday evening, when the Supreme Court rejected Sisodia's bail plea.
Sisodia - arrested Sunday by the CBI - and Jain - in jail for nine months on money laundering charges - both resigned hours later.
Kejriwal's swipe at the BJP - that cases against Sisodia and Jain will be dropped if they joined the BJP - echo remarks made by other opposition leaders who say the centre uses agencies like the CBI and ED to target and harass rivals.
Critics have claimed the cases are then dropped after they join the BJP.
On Tuesday a sarcastic AAP tweeted referred to the 'satisfied customers' of the BJP's 'washing machine'. The list included BJP leaders Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam, and Bengal' Suvendu Adhikari. The term 'washing machine' is an euphemism used by the opposition to target the BJP when a rival - who faces corruption charges - gets a clean chit after joining the saffron party.
In August last year Sisodia claimed he had been approached by the saffron party with just such an offer - that cases against him would be closed if he joined. "Received a message from BJP - leave AAP and join BJP. We will ensure all cases by CBI-ED against you are shut," Sisodia tweeted (in Hindi) at the time.
"My reply - I am descendant of Maharana Pratap, a Rajput. Will cut off my head but not bow down to corruption. All cases against me are false," he declared.
The BJP has denied any connection to cases against rival leaders. Last month union home minister Amit Shah told news agency ANI such claims were wrong.
"Why don't they go to court... When Pegasus (allegations the government used an Israeli-developed software to spy on the phones of its critics) issue was raised, I had said 'go with proof to the court'... but they didn't," he said.
"They only know how to create noise. Court toh humaare kabze mein nahin hain (We haven't captured the courts)," Shah said.
With input from agencies