A turbulent political storm has gripped the national capital as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) cried foul over the recommendation by Lieutenant Governor V. K. Saxena to initiate a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe targeting Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal. AAP leaders, in a fiery retort on Monday, decried the move as yet another manipulative scheme orchestrated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), branding the LG an outright “agent” of the ruling national party.
The root of this escalating confrontation lies in the allegations stemming from the LG’s office that Chief Minister Kejriwal’s party had illicitly obtained political funding from the outlawed organization ‘Sikhs for Justice.’ These are grave accusations indeed, considering the designated group’s extremist leanings and classified terrorist status.
AAP Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, in a searing statement, articulated the sentiments of his party by saying, “LG sir is an agent of the BJP. This is yet another conspiracy against Kejriwal at the behest of BJP. They are losing on all seven seats in Delhi and are rattled by the fear of defeat in Lok Sabha polls.”
Bharadwaj also brought up past incidents, paralleling the current accusations to those made before the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections. He suggested that the BJP had previously used similar tactics to undermine the AAP. Voicing his indignation on social media, Bharadwaj condemned the Lieutenant Governor for attempting to grab headlines amidst the election season and labeled the constitutional office’s conduct a gross misuse.
The political storm intensified further when an official communique disclosed that the principal secretary to Lieutenant Governor Saxena had written to the Union home secretary. The letter conveyed a complaint that the AAP had allegedly received a whopping amount of USD 16 million from extremist Khalistani groups. The contentious sum, it was implied, was in exchange for facilitating the release of Devendra Pal Bhullar, a former militant currently serving a life sentence after his death penalty was commuted. The 1993 Delhi bomb blast for which Bhullar was convicted had resulted in the tragic loss of nine lives.
AAP’s Bharadwaj, countering these allegations, reiterated that the BJP had previously resorted to similar claims which led to an investigation ordered by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. However, according to Bharadwaj, that probe yielded no incriminating evidence. Bharadwaj projected confidence in the Delhi electorate, believing citizens would see through the BJP’s “cheap tactics” and stand by Chief Minister Kejriwal who, according to him, has championed commendable advancements in education, health care, and utilities.
The accusations hurled by the BJP are not just seen as attempts to dislodge Kejriwal from his moral high ground, but are also perceived as strategic moves to gain political leverage before the critical voting for the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi scheduled for May 25th. The AAP strongly feels that the BJP, foreseeing a defeat at the polls, resorts to these defamatory campaigns to mislead the public and distract from electoral issues.
AAP’s firm stance was that no substantive findings would emerge from such investigations and that the public’s trust in Kejriwal’s governance would remain unshaken. With political lines drawn and accusations flying, the stage is set for a climactic battle for voters’ hearts and minds as Delhi navigates through turbulent political waters in the lead-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
As the city braces for the electoral verdict, only time and the will of the voters will determine the outcome of this high-stakes political drama. The AAP remains steadfast in its defense while the BJP and the Lt Governor’s office maintain their stand on the matter.
As the election progresses, the debate over these allegations will likely continue to be a focal point, underscoring the political animosity between AAP, BJPs, and the Lt. Governor’s office. It remains to be seen how the proposed NIA investigation will unfold and what impact it will have on the electoral fortunes of the AAP and the BJP alike.
