Even as the Delhi Assembly debated the alleged corruption in Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) and set up a Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal fired a fresh salvo against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the CBI raids conducted on hid Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar. Kejriwal asked for the PM’s resignation while taking potshots on Modi’s numerous foreign tours.
“What happened on December 15, 2015, was a blot in the history of this country. There were many people the Centre could have conducted a raid on but it was I who was targeted. The PM conducted this raid through CBI only to protect Arun Jaitley. Modi should resign,” said Kejriwal.
Upping his ante against Modi, he said, “What the PM has done is a dangerous thing. The PM can now conduct raid on any CM to extract files. I was approached by a CBI official who said that he has got instructions from the top that raids have to be conducted against PM’s rivals. Is this the Gujarat model being followed?”
Standing by his principal secretary, Kejriwal said, “I have always supported honest officers and I will stand by them. I stand by Rajender Kumar.”
Referring to the DDCA row, Kejriwal said, “I was told that in a meeting, Arun Jaitley said that I will handle any enquiry by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO). PM conducted this raid through CBI only to protect Arun Jaitley.”
Kejriwal also criticised Modi for his interference in Delhi’s administrative functioning. “Delhi functions well when the PM is touring abroad,” he said.
“I’ll take PM’s projects like Swacch Bharat forward in Delhi, will give PM all the credit. But they should just stop troubling us,” Kejriwal said.
Citing A Raja’s example, the Delhi CM said, “BJP ministers in the Parliament stood up and said that Mr Jaitley is innocent. Just like that, tomorrow A Raja will bring his four ministers and say he is innocent. This country has some law and order and it must be followed.”
Sharpening his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kejriwal said, “The memory of losing elections in Delhi still haunts the prime minister and his “blood boils hearing my name.”
However, the Delhi CM reiterated that his party will not be deterred by the lawsuits, and will continued to further attack the Finance Minister.
Kejriwal further poked fun at PM Modi for wearing a Rs. 10 lakh suit last year, and demanded to know how a “chai wala” (tea seller) could afford such a costly suit.
