The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made an emphatic declaration on Monday regarding its resolve to explore legal avenues that would enable them to continue governing even if their leader and Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, were to face arrest by the Enforcement Directorate.
In a meeting held by the party's MLAs, the suggestion was presented to Kejriwal that he should persist in his governmental role, even in the event of his apprehension by the Central agency.
Addressing the media, Atishi, who serves as the Minister for Power and Education, conveyed the collective sentiment of Delhi's MLAs. She highlighted the recurring pattern of AAP members becoming subjects of investigation and arrest, pointing out that it began with AAP MLAs, then extended to ministers, and now even an MP. Allegations of BJP leaders openly discussing the imprisonment of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal added to the party's concerns.
Atishi revealed that the AAP's MLAs had unequivocally advised the Chief Minister not to contemplate resignation, even if the BJP sought to confine him within the walls of Tihar Jail. She emphasized that the people of Delhi had voted for Arvind Kejriwal, not individual MLAs or parties, and their trust should not be betrayed. If necessary, they expressed their intention to pursue court permission to conduct Cabinet meetings, handle official files, and engage with officers while Kejriwal would be imprisoned.
Saurabh Bhardwaj, a fellow minister, weighed in on the case of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. He underscored the repeated inquiries made by the judge concerning the money trail during the proceedings, and the Enforcement Directorate's inability to provide a satisfactory response. Bhardwaj lamented that, despite being a matter of public record, bail continued to be denied. He asserted that neither the Constitution nor the law permitted the incarceration of a sitting Chief Minister under the pretext of a trial, let alone mandated his resignation.
Bhardwaj also raised concerns about the BJP's persistent animosity toward the AAP, suggesting that the BJP's primary motivation was their inability to attain power in Delhi even after contesting elections. As a result, he claimed that they were resorting to such measures to arrest Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Regardless of the circumstances, he reiterated that Arvind Kejriwal would remain at the helm of the government, whether from behind bars or under judicial custody, due to the mandate he had received.
(With agency inputs)
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