The Punjab unit of AAP on Friday hailed the court’s acquittal of AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in the tax policy case, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann saying that “truth always wins”.
Mann also said that the court order shows that central agencies are being misused by the BJP government at the Center to stop the Aam Aadmi Party.
A Delhi court has relieved former Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal and his former deputy Sisodia from the tax policy case, and stayed the CBI by saying that his case was not able to survive judicial scrutiny and was completely discredited.
Besides the two leaders, 21 others were also discharged in this case.
Celebrations broke out at the AAP office here as party leaders and workers exchanged sweets and danced to the beats of the dhol.
In a post on website
Later, Mann said in a video message that the removal of Kejriwal, Sisodia and others had vindicated the party’s long-standing stand that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and other central agencies had been “turned into mere puppets of the Union government to target political rivals”.
“It is a historic day in the country’s politics because the court acquitted Arvind Kejriwal and 23 others who were wrongly booked by the CBI. The case against Arvind Kejriwal and others was a desperate attempt by the Union government to stop the Aam Aadmi Party, which was spreading its wings across the country with its good work agenda,” Mann said.
He said the court order is a testimony that the dark night, no matter how long, ends and the victory of light is there.
“The prayers of the common people have worked wonders and these honest leaders have been acquitted. The court order has put a serious question mark on the functioning of the CBI, which is acting as a puppet in the hands of its masters. It has exposed the blatant misuse of central agencies by those in power at the Center to silence the voice of democracy,” the Punjab Chief Minister said.
“Just to win the elections in Delhi, the entire decision-making team of AAP has been put behind bars by the BJP-led Union government,” he said.
He added that the court’s decision proved that Kejriwal is “an honest man who rules people’s hearts because he tells the truth.”
“Traditional parties are jealous of AAP because we set an agenda for the welfare of the common man. Earlier, the Congress and BJP used to play friendly matches by enjoying power on a rotational basis and securing each other’s interests during their days in power.
“They are accustomed to playing musical chairs in power and waiting for their turn to plunder the people and the country,” Mann said.
Taking aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah Mann, he said that while it was acceptable to “want to rule”, they should have done so by winning the hearts of people through action, “and not such tactics”.
“Instead of improving the country’s education, roads, energy, health sector, employment and other sectors, the BJP continues its agenda of hatred and division. These democratically elected dictators use the opposition and draw among their political rivals to freeze electoral symbols and then tamper with the ballot boxes.” Mann said.
Punjab AAP president and minister Aman Arora welcomed the ruling and accused the BJP-led Center of misusing central agencies to discredit AAP. “As the saying goes, justice can be delayed but not denied,” he wrote on X.
“The people of the country will give a befitting response to the conspirators in the coming days,” Arora added.
Speaking to reporters later, Arora termed the relief as not just a victory for Kejriwal and AAP, but also a victory for truth.
“It has happened for the first time that a false case has been registered against a sitting Prime Minister just to eliminate him politically. Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah must seek an apology for the set of lies,” he claimed.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema described the court’s decision as a historic victory.
“The court ruling has proven that the conspiracy hatched by the BJP against the Aam Aadmi Party is baseless. The BJP has resorted to using agencies to defame leaders who are providing honest leadership, but the justice system of the honorable court has highlighted the truth. This decision is a symbol of strengthening the Constitution and democracy,” he said.
