Arvind Kejriwal should resign as Delhi CM on moral grounds: BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Gaurav Bhatia on Thursday said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been arrested in connection with an excise policy-linked money laundering case, should resign from the post as he "cannot run the government from the lock up".
Bhatia told ANI that Kejriwal should resign on moral grounds. He accused the AAP leader of duplicity in words and actions.
"There are 1.5 crore people in the city and they are the responsibility of the Chief Minister of the elected government. If you cannot give any orders from jail, then how will you serve the public? Arvind Kejriwal cheats everyone," Bhatia said.
The BJP spokesperson further came down heavily on Kejriwal and said that the AAP supremo does exactly the opposite of what he promises.
"Whatever he has said till now, has done the opposite in public life," he said, adding, "He should resign on moral grounds. Arvind Kejriwal came from the movement which was taken out against corruption and he himself had called Sharad Pawar, Lalu Prasad Yadav and even Sonia Gandhi a corrupt. Today, he (Kejriwal) has compromised with them. If he has even an iota of morality left in him, he should resign," Bhatia added.
The probe agency had arrested Kejriwal on March 21 in connection with excise policy-linked money laundering case.
The case relates to alleged irregularities and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi excise policy in 2022. In its initial prosecution complaint filed in November 2021, the ED stated that the policy was intentionally designed with loopholes, facilitating the formation of cartels clandestinely to favor AAP leaders.
Additionally, the ED accused AAP leaders of receiving kickbacks from a group of individuals referred to as the "South Group."
"People are asking why Arvind Kejriwal did not get any relief from ED and Delhi High Court. Why Manish Sisodia is in jail for 14 months and he did not get any relief from ED court or High Court. Sanjay Singh is in jail for more than four months. He did not get relief from ED Court or High Court. The reason for this is clear that Arvind Kejriwal is the kingpin of the liquor scam and the public has come to know that the rightful place for the commission fraud done by Arvind Kejriwal is behind the bars," Bhatia added.
He also hit out at the Delhi CM for skipping nine summons by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the case and said that Kejriwal violated Constitution.
"The Chief Minister, who takes oath to protect the Constitution, why he violated the Constitution to skip nine summons. It means Arvind Kejriwal is scared. He knows that he is involved in corruption, now the investigating agency has solid evidence against him," Bhatia added.