Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Sunday that he will vacate his official residence during the upcoming Navratri festival, starting October 3. This statement marked his first public address since resigning on September 17, during which he criticized the BJP for allegedly framing him in a false case, asserting that he cannot live with the “stain of dishonesty.”
“I cannot even live, let alone work, with the stigma of being dishonest. If I were dishonest, would I have made electricity and bus travel free for women? Would I have improved government schools and hospitals?” he questioned the audience.
Kejriwal, who was released on bail from Tihar Jail on September 13 after spending over five months in custody related to the excise policy case, emphasized that he entered politics to serve the country, not for personal gain. He claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has governed Delhi with integrity over the last decade, providing essential services like free water and electricity, which he believes provoked the BJP to undermine their honesty.
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“Troubled by our success, Modi ji thought that to win elections against us, they should attack our integrity and thus implicated us in a false case,” he alleged.
Expressing his feelings about the corruption allegations, Kejriwal stated that he resigned to preserve his dignity and plans to move out of the chief minister’s official residence after the “shraddh” period.
“I will move out during Navratri and stay among the people, who have graciously offered me accommodation,” he said, noting that he currently lacks a home of his own. He expressed gratitude for the love and support he has received from the public over the past ten years.
Kejriwal described the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections as an “agni pariksha” (trial by fire) for himself, urging voters to reconsider their support if they believe he is dishonest.
He also addressed his former deputy, Manish Sisodia, who spent nearly 17 months in jail related to the same case. Kejriwal lamented that Sisodia’s incarceration has deprived the nation of advancements in educational facilities. “Modi ji has wasted these two years—not just for Sisodia, but for the country,” he remarked.
Reflecting on the India Against Corruption movement that began at Jantar Mantar, Kejriwal reminisced about how it was the biggest movement in independent India and how they were challenged to enter electoral politics. “We proved that elections could be won based on honesty,” he concluded.