Image Credits - Mint
In his first public appearance after being granted interim bail by the Supreme Court, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal struck a defiant note, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being determined to “finish” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and sending a message by arresting him.
Addressing a press conference flanked by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Kejriwal thanked supporters for joining him in the sweltering heat, stating, “I am coming straight from jail between you guys after 50 days in Tihar.”
Sandeep Pathak, an AAP leader, hailed the Supreme Court’s interim bail orders as giving “a new direction to this country.”
Kejriwal alleged a concerted effort by the BJP to target the AAP, claiming, “The Aam Aadmi Party is a small party, we are in power in two states, and the PM is determined to finish our party. Together, they sent four top leaders of our to jail – myself, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and Satyendra Jain.”
Portraying the AAP as an ideological force, Kejriwal said, “They thought this (his arrest) will finish us, but the truth is that we are not just a party but a thought. That’s why they are scared of us.”
He further accused the BJP of sheltering “all the thieves and liars” while targeting him to send a message that “if I can arrest Kejriwal, then I can arrest anyone.”
Mann echoed Kejriwal’s sentiments, stating, “Everyone saw what happened with Arvind Kejriwal. We kept the press conference to discuss what happened, but the outpouring of support has shown us it’s not just a PC but a rally for Mr. Kejriwal.”
Taking a jibe at the BJP, Mann added, “There is happiness in our office today because our loved Arvind Kejriwal is out, but only 100 meters from here (where the BJP HQ is), they must be wondering how this happened and fighting with each other.”
Mann also claimed that the BJP’s expectations of winning 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections had been dashed, stating, “In the first three rounds of elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi got to know that it’s not 400 paar (crossing 400 seats) but it’s beda par (sinking ship).”
The press conference marked the beginning of a renewed confrontation between the AAP and the BJP, with Kejriwal and his party vowing to resist what they perceive as political persecution by the central government.