The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced that its MPs would boycott President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament on Thursday. This decision comes in the wake of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal being sent to a three-day CBI remand by the Rouse Avenue Court in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case.
This address marks the first presidential speech since the formation of the third National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. Following the President’s address, a motion of thanks will be moved in both Houses of Parliament and will be subject to discussion by the members.
AAP leader Sandeep Pathak justified the boycott, stating the importance of raising voices against what he described as dictatorship under the guise of justice. “Today we will protest in the Rajya Sabha against the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and we will boycott the President’s address. The President and the Constitution are supreme and when dictatorship is done in the name of justice, it is important to raise our voices,” he said.
Pathak also mentioned that while AAP had not coordinated this protest with other parties in the INDIA alliance, AAP would proceed with its boycott independently.
The Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi, on Wednesday, ordered a three-day CBI remand for Kejriwal. Vacation Judge Amitabh Rawat, after considering the submissions from both sides, decided that Kejriwal would remain in CBI custody until June 29, 2024. During this period, Kejriwal is permitted to meet his wife, Sunita Kejriwal, for 30 minutes each day and his lawyer for the same duration. Additionally, he is allowed to carry his prescribed medicines.
In court, Kejriwal defended himself, asserting that the CBI’s claims of him making statements against his colleague Manish Sisodia were false. “CBI is claiming that I have made a statement against Manish Sisodia, which is completely false. Manish Sisodia Nirdosh hai, Aam Aadmi Party Nirdosh hai. Main bhi nirdosh hun. Iss Tarah ke statements hamme media me badnam Karne ke liye diye ja rahe hai (Manish Sisodia is innocent, Aam Aadmi Party is innocent. I am also innocent. statements are being given in the media to defame us.),” he declared. He further accused the CBI of using media to tarnish his image by attributing false statements to him.
Also read: Court Grants CBI Custody with Caveats In Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s Arrest
Kejriwal emphasized, “CBI sources ke hawale se media me hamme badnam kar rahe rahe hai. Inka plan hai ki media front page ye chala de ki Kejriwal ne sara thikra Manish Sisodia pe daal diya. (They are tarnishing our image in the media by using unnamed sources. They plan to make it headline news that Kejriwal has shifted all the blame to Manish Sisodia.)”
However, the Court said,” I have read your statement… you have not said this.”
On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court stayed Kejriwal’s bail order issued by the trial court, noting that the trial court should have recorded its satisfaction with the fulfilment of twin conditions of Section 45 of the Prevention of the Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before passing the impugned order.
