Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged on Wednesday that CBI-ED raids had brought all the corrupt people into “one political party”, and when the BJP’s rule at the Centre ended, the country would become corruption-free.
Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks made a day before that the ED and the CBI have brought all the corrupt people on one platform, Kejriwal took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying, “The ED and the CBI have brought all the corrupt people together not on one platform, but in the same party.” Speaking on a confidence motion tabled by him in the Assembly, the chief minister alleged that the BJP withdrew its no-confidence motion after it failed to poach AAP MLAs, who he said will never succumb to any pressure.
Alleging that the BJP only knows how to fight and abuse, he claimed that, let alone the 2025 Assembly polls, the saffron party will not be able to win an election in Delhi even in 2050.
Alleging the use of central agencies by the BJP, Kejriwal said the saffron party has not failed to miss any chance to “trample” democracy in the country.
He further alleged that AAP MLAs had been threatened with CBI and ED raids and offered a bribe of Rs 25 crore each, but nothing could break them.
“Each one of you is a gem. Don’t be afraid. Even if you go to jail, I will care for your families,” Kejriwal told the AAP MLAs.
The motion was passed with a majority by the House. The eight BJP MLAs were absent during the voting.
“All the thieves and corrupt people are in one party. Once the BJP people are in jail after their government’s rule ends, the country will become corruption-free. The prime minister had a huge opportunity to take the country forward, but there is an atmosphere of fear and loot in the nation,” Kejriwal said.
Citing the examples of Narayan Rane, Himanta Biswa Sarma and Suvendu Adhikari, he alleged that since they were involved in corruption, they joined the BJP.
“Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain were also held at gunpoint but preferred to go to jail,” he added.
Kejriwal claimed that the BJP tried to break his government in 2017 and even in the subsequent years but was unsuccessful.
“If you have some dignity left, do not try Operation Lotus on our MLAs. We are followers of Bhagat Singh,” he said.
Kejriwal said the BJP needed 14 MLAs for a no-confidence motion and used various tactics to get the AAP MLAs on its side but failed.
“The happenings inside the Delhi Assembly send out a positive message for democracy today,” he added.
The BJP-ruled Centre does not allow the governments headed by opposition parties to work, Kejriwal alleged.
“We believe in democracy, so we asked the BJP MLAs to speak even though they could not bring a no-confidence motion against our government. We allowed them to speak. We welcome criticism. But these people only know how to fight and abuse. Leave alone the 2025 Assembly polls, the BJP cannot win elections even in 2050 in Delhi,” he said.
In the 65-minute discussion on the motion of confidence, 35 minutes were given to the Opposition, even though the BJP has only eight MLAs, the chief minister said.
“Had the AAP been in the same position as the BJP is today, they would have gone around poking fun at us, but we are not like them,” he said.
The chief minister urged Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri not to indulge in this negative politics of no-confidence motions without any basis. “We have 62 MLAs at present, and after the Assembly election in 2025, hopefully, this number will only increase. We hope that the BJP does not indulge in negative politics,” he said.
Later, talking to reporters after the Assembly session, Kejriwal said the BJP had announced that it would bring a no-confidence motion.
“But to the table such a motion, you need the signatures of at least 20% of MLAs. To do so, they threatened our MLAs, but none of them broke. AAP MLAs cannot be broken through fear and threats,” he said.
“Our confidence motion has won with a huge majority. People have tremendous faith in us. We are doing work for the public, which has yet to be done in the last 75 years. I thank the public for showing faith in us. We are fighting polls in Karnataka, and I hope we will get good results,” Kejriwal added.
Earlier in the day, while participating in the discussion, BJP MLA Anil Bajpai alleged that the voice of the Opposition is being suppressed in the House.
“There are various issues related to Delhi. How many mohalla clinics have been opened despite the promise of 1,000? No medicine for diabetes and blood pressure is available in the mohalla clinics,” he said.
AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak asserted that the confidence of the House and the confidence of the people of Delhi in the Kejriwal government is intact.
Bidhuri said, “People have lost faith in the AAP government. The AAP is taking its last breath. It is like a lamp that is about to be extinguished.” He also said a BJP worker would sit on Kejriwal’s chair after the next Assembly polls in Delhi.
