'Wrong and unconstitutional': Opposition reacts after ED arrests Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday was arrested in connection with the excise policy case. A team of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached the residence of Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday evening to question him in connection with the excise policy case.
FollowOpposition leaders from the Congress and other parties launched a blistering attack on the BJP-led Central government on Thursday, just after an Enforcement Directorate team arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the now-defunct liquor policy case.
Reacting to the probe agency's crackdown on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief, senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took to X and wrote: "Targeting Delhi Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal in this manner due to elections is completely wrong and unconstitutional. Lowering the level of politics in this manner suits neither the Prime Minister nor his government."
"Fight your critics in the electoral battle, confront them boldly, and of course attack their policies and working style - this is democracy. But in this way, using the power of all the institutions of the country to fulfill one's political objective and weakening them by exerting pressure is against every principle of democracy," she added.
Congress leader Udit Raj said the security forces surrounded his house in such a way as if they came to arrest any "dacoit" or the war enemy. He said, "This is the situation today with a Chief Minister elected by the people. Such behaviour in India is the murder of democracy."
DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai said, "It is on expected lines... He (PM Modi) wants to divert the attention of the common man from the mega scam, the biggest loot, the extortion racket that the BJP has run (Electoral Bond). That is why this arrest has been made.
Punjab minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said, "Arvind Kejriwal is one of those leaders who worked for the poor and people of Delhi. He ended corruption... BJP was not able to digest this and he has been arrested... I would say this to the BJP that they can arrest him but not his ideas, they will have to pay for this and I condemn this...."
Notably, Kejriwal was arrested by the ED in an excise policy-linked money laundering case. The arrest, the first of a sitting chief minister, came hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant protection to the AAP national convenor from any coercive action by the agency.
