The BJP and Congress on Monday took on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his alleged connivance in the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash in February.
BJP state president Manoj Tiwari said it was a “shameful and ignoble” fact that Mr. Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s names figured in the chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police in relation to the incident.
“This must be a solitary incident where the police have after a thorough inquiry decided to file in court a chargesheet for criminal conspiracy against a sitting Chief Minister...the conduct of the Chief Minister and his party colleagues has shamed the people of Delhi, the CM should own moral responsibility of the attack on the Chief Secretary and hand over charge to some other party colleague till the court decides the matter,” Mr. Tiwari said.
Kejriwal’s aide
Leader of the Opposition Vijender Gupta demanded the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister’s resignation. The statement of V.K. Jain, one of Mr. Kejriwal’s aides, Mr. Gupta argued had revealed “the most important factor” in relation to the case, that is the alleged criminal conspiracy “of CM and Deputy CM in the criminal assault on CS”.
“They quietly watched the misdeeds of their cronies. Therefore, they are equal partners in crime. They are also guilty of weaving the web of lies and deceits which were further spread by others leaders from their party,” Mr. Gupta alleged.
On his part, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken tweeted, “Calling CS at 12 Midnight at CM house to thrash him & intimidate him-is unprecedented in Indian political history! Being elected, doesn’t give AAP a license,to beat the senior-most bureaucrat. Politicians come & go, but this non-political steel frame shouldn’t be the target!”
The BJP termed desperate a joint statement issued by the Aam Aadmi Party government’s Ministers in which they had attempted to “repeating their rhetoric” against the BJP-ruled Centre over the issue.
“We have seen a political statement by AAP Ministers after the filing of chargesheet abusing and accusing the Central government. We understand their desperation but the way they have reacted repeating their rhetoric against the Centre despite knowing full well that it is a criminal complaint filed by their Chief Secretary with witness being CM’s own adviser and not by any political opponent,” Mr. Tiwari said.