Kejriwal calls BJP government crueller than British rulers

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a blistering attack on the BJP-led central government, accusing it of acting with greater cruelty than the British colonial rulers.

Speaking at a gathering of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers, Kejriwal reflected on his recent time in jail, where he claimed he was unfairly detained as part of a strategy to break the party and undermine his leadership.

Addressing the party at its office, Kejriwal recounted his experiences in prison, where he utilised his time by reading extensively, including spiritual texts and historical writings on Bhagat Singh.

He drew parallels between his own situation and the hardships faced by Indian freedom fighters during the British colonial era, highlighting how the government treated him with a level of repression that, according to him, even the British would not have anticipated in independent India.

He rejected the BJP’s allegations of corruption and dishonesty, attributing his imprisonment to a wider scheme by the ruling party to discredit him and his party. Kejriwal claimed that the BJP’s goal was to erode the confidence of AAP members and weaken the party’s influence in Delhi.

In his address, Kejriwal also referenced the support and solidarity he received from his colleagues, drawing an analogy with historical revolutionary figures like Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt. He noted how some of his closest associates were blacklisted from visiting him in jail in an attempt to isolate him.

The Delhi CM explained that the ruling party’s efforts to jail him were part of a broader move to destabilise the AAP government in Delhi. Despite the restrictions imposed on him, Kejriwal maintained that his party remained resilient, refusing to break under pressure.

He attributed this resilience to the shared commitment within AAP to protect democratic principles and the Constitution. He went so far as to assert that even from jail, governance could continue, citing a recent Supreme Court ruling that supported his claim.

Kejriwal announced that he would be stepping down as Chief Minister within the next two days. He declared that he would not assume the post again until the people of Delhi re-elected him and provided a clear mandate on his honesty.

Kejriwal outlined his plan to engage directly with the public, pledging to visit every household and community in the run-up to the elections, which are expected to take place in early 2024.

He expressed a desire for early elections to be held in November, coinciding with the Maharashtra state elections, and stated that the final decision on the next Chief Minister would be made in consultation with AAP’s MLAs.

Kejriwal’s speech also included a reflection on the legal and political challenges faced by his administration, including laws introduced by the central government that he claimed had stripped him of much of his power.

The Delhi CM’s statements came just days after his release from Tihar Jail, following the Supreme Court’s decision to grant him bail in a corruption case related to the alleged Delhi Excise Policy scam.