Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday launched a fresh attack on Bikram Singh Majithia, daring the Punjab Revenue Minister to get him arrested, even as the SAD leader hit back saying the AAP chief will not “escape the clutches of law”.
Mr. Kejriwal along with AAP leader Sanjay Singh was on Friday granted bail by local court here in connection with a defamation case filed by Mr. Majithia and the court fixed October 15 as the next date for hearing.
Before appearing in the court, Mr. Kejriwal addressed a large number of party workers and volunteers outside Circuit House here who had gathered to express their solidarity with the AAP leader.
Accusing Mr. Majithia of being “involved in drug trade”, Mr. Kejriwal said he was not going to be scared by the cases registered by the Minister.
“I want to say to Majithia that Majithia sahib we are not going to be scared with these FIRs. Only six months are left in Akali’s regime. If Majithia has the courage, he should get me arrested in six months. Otherwise after six months, I will arrest Majithia,” he said.
“The people of Punjab will avenge each fake FIR registered from Majithia and Badals. Only six months are left and after six months, we will create a new Punjab,” he said.
“I know that false cases are being slapped against AAP volunteers and if they did not spare me being the Chief Minister of Delhi, how can they spare you,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
Hitting back at Mr. Kejriwal, Mr. Majithia, who was accompanied by State ministers, MLAs and large number of party supporters, accused him of finally getting caught in his web of “lies and deceit”.
“Kejriwal will not escape the clutches of law by getting bail in the case. It is a matter of ‘aaj bail kal jail’ for this arrogant leader,” Mr. Majithia said and added: “He may run but he cannot escape the noose of justice”.
“Kejriwal has admitted his guilt in the case by refusing to file an application for day-to-day hearing. From today onwards the word accused has been prefixed to his name.
“This is a victory not only for me and my family but the entire Punjabi community. The truth has won. I thank my Punjabi brethren for extended their overwhelming support to my cause which they have made their own”.
Mr. Majithia, brother-in-law of SAD chief and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, described Mr. Kejriwal and his MLAs as “Ali Baba and Chalis Chor Party”. The SAD leader alleged the number of AAP legislators involved in criminal cases had already crossed the one dozen mark and the day was not far off when it would cross even 40.
“Kejriwal is heading a team whose members are accused of molestation and exploitation of women and even anti-national activities as done by MP Bhagwant Mann by sharing live footage of security arrangements of the Parliament,” Mr. Majithia alleged.
Accompanied by State convenor Sucha Singh Chhotepur and AAP MP Bhagwant Mann, Mr. Kejriwal said: “We will not bow down under any such pressure and form the government in Punjab in 2017.”
“Akalis have turned Punjab, which used to be a flourishing State into a hub of drugs, and ruined the youth.
“If anyone dares to raise his voice against this drug network, they slap a false case on him, which is evident in filing of a defamation against me,” Mr. Kejriwal alleged.
“Each house in Punjab is facing the problem of drugs,” said Mr. Kejriwal, who arrived in Amritsar on Thursday to appear before the court in the defamation case.
He claimed that he had come to know that hoardings had appeared throughout Punjab which said, “Majithia was into drug trade”. He claimed people had made up their mind to oust the Akalis.-PTI
