Manish Sisodia, the deputy chief minister of Delhi who is under investigation by the CBI for allegedly violating excise policy, should be given the Bharat Ratna for raising educational standards in schools, but instead he is being pursued by the Centre for political reasons, said chief executive Arvind Kejriwal on Monday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on the other side, allegedly promised Sisodia the position of chief minister if he split the Aam Aadmi Party, among a number of other important posts (AAP). Kejriwal claimed in Ahmedabad that the New York Times had praised our educational model on his sixth trip to Gujarat in a month, which is going to the polls.
According to Kejriwal, Sisodia is being targeted rather than being praised.
Why are you forcing the CBI to undertake raids on a man who improved government schools, accomplished miracles in five years, and done what 70 years of political parties failed to accomplish? The CM declared that such a man deserved the Bharat Ratna.
The AAP convener, Kejriwal, also expressed concern that Sisodia would be detained shortly.
Who knows, maybe I’ll get arrested along with Manish Sisodia. He claimed that everything is being done in anticipation of the Gujarat Assembly elections.
Kejriwal said the people of Gujarat are “sad” and are bearing the brunt of the “arrogance” of the BJP regime of the last 27 years in the state.
He promised quality education and health care to the people of Gujarat if the AAP comes to power in the state, where the Assembly polls are due by the year-end. Defending the Delhi government’s liquor policy, Kejriwal said they were forced to change it. A total 850 (liquor) shops had to open in Delhi. But only 350 shops could open, 500 shops could not open. The way the Centre and all agencies started pressuring our officers, they said no to auctioning new shops. The LG (Lieutenant Governor), police, and central agencies were putting pressure. The policy is very good, and we are ready to debate with anyone, he said. Meanwhile, Sisodia, who is also visiting Gujarat, claimed the BJP offered him the chief minister’s post if he broke the AAP. Addressing a press conference in Ahmedabad, Sisodia said he was surprised when someone came to him with a message that he has “two offers” from the BJP.
“The messenger said one was that all big cases registered against you by CBI-ED will be taken back. The other offer was that I break the party and they will make you chief minister, the AAP leader claimed.
“I gave a clear political answer to them – ‘Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is my political guru and I have learnt politics from him’. I have not come into politics to be CM or PM,” Sisodia said.
AAP convener Kejriwal and Sisodia on Monday arrived on a two-day visit to Gujarat.
Their visit comes amid a row over alleged irregularities in Delhi’s excise policy for 2021-22 and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registering an FIR against Sisodia.