NEW DELHI : Amid the protests and political showdown around her husband’s arrest in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case, Sunita Kejriwal, wife of the embattled chief minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, assured party workers that he was as valiant as a lion and wouldn’t be in jail for long.
Addressing party workers at a mega show of strength of the AAP and its partners in the INDIA bloc to rally support for CM Kejriwal, his wife said, “Your Kejriwal is a lion, they (BJP-led Centre) will not be able to keep him in custody for long. He remains in the hearts of crores of people across the country.”
#WATCH | INDIA alliance rally: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal says, "Your own Kejriwal has sent a message for you from jail. Before reading this message, I would like to ask you something. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi put my husband in jail, did the Prime… pic.twitter.com/aZsdXXvJOO
— ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2024
The Delhi CM is currently in the custody of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) till April 1, Monday, in connection with the liquor policy case.
In an emotional pitch to party supporters and people before reading a message from her husband, Sunita, a former Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, said, “Your very own Kejriwal has sent a message for you from custody. However, before reading out this message, I would like to ask you something. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi put my husband in custody. Do you all believe that he did the right thing? Do you believe that Kejriwal-ji is a true patriot and honest person? These BJP people are saying that since Kejriwal is in custody, he should resign. Do you all believe he should resign?”
She added that the strong determination and courage with which she saw her husband fighting his arrest in the liquor case reminded her of the freedom fighters who made the ultimate sacrifice during the struggle for independence.
“The courage with which he is fighting his arrest and for the people and the country often reminds me of the freedom fighters who died fighting for the country’s independence. Maybe Kejriwal was destined to wage this struggle for Bharat Ma,” she said.
She then proceeded to read out six promises that Kejriwal said the INDIA bloc would fulfil if voted to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. These include 24×7 electricity supply across the country, free power supply for the poor, good government schools in every village and mohalla, MSP (minimum support price) for farmers in accordance with the Swaminathan Commission report and full statehood for Delhi.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 after several hours of questioning in connection with the excise policy case.
All leading Opposition leaders on Sunday came together and shared the stage at the Ramlila Maidan to register their protest over Kejriwal’s arrest in the case.
Speaking at the Maha Rally, senior AAP leader and Delhi minister Gopal Rai questioned the need to arrest Kejriwal, a sitting chief minister, in the liquor policy case.
“Protests erupted across the country since his arrest on March 21. No one has a clue yet why a sitting CM had to be arrested. But it isn’t about Kejriwal alone. Before arresting the Delhi CM, his Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren was arrested (in a land ‘scam’ case) as well. Such misuse of the ED and CBI (against Opposition leaders) has put our democracy in peril,” Rai said at the rally on Sunday. (ANI)