After Kharge dials Kejriwal, Ajay Maken's snub of ‘no sympathy or support’
Ajay Maken said Congress lawyers should not represent Kejriwal in courts as it would send a wrong message.
Aiming at a united opposition ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge dialled Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal after he received the CBI summons in connection with the liquor policy case. Though the AAP and the Congress are at loggerheads, Kharge reportedly expressed solidarity with Kejriwal before he was questioned by the CBI. However, Delhi Congress leader Ajay Maken struck a discordant note and said people like Kejriwal should not be shown any sympathy or support. Read | Kejriwal quizzed for 9 hours by CBI in liquor case; ‘They asked me 56 questions’
In a long post on Twitter, Maken revisited Kejriwal's political journey, how he dissolved his 40-day government in 2014 etc.
"I believe that individuals like Kejriwal and his associates who face serious corruption charges should not be shown any sympathy or support.The allegations of LiquorGate and GheeGate must be thoroughly investigated and those found guilty should be punished," Maken wrote.
In a veiled message to the party president, Maken wrote that all political leaders, including those from the Congress, must recognise that 'money gained through corrupt means by Kejriwal has been used against the Congress Party in several states, including Punjab, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Delhi'.
"Kejriwal founded the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2013 with the aim of fighting corruption, following the Anna Hazare movement. The party promised to enact the Lokpal bill, which was viewed by the opposition parties as a solution to corruption in the Congress Party. However, Kejriwal dissolved his own government in February 2014, just 40 days after coming to power, demanding a strong Lokpal bill, which was later made public," Maken wrote.
"Despite this, in December 2015, Kejriwal introduced a watered-down version of the Lokpal Bill that differed greatly from the original bill proposed in 2014. This exposes the true character and intentions of Kejriwal. The original bill, which formed the basis for dissolving his 40-day government, has yet to be implemented. Since 2015, Kejriwal and his party have failed to push for a stronger Lokpal bill. Instead, they have become known for their protests, marches, and counter-allegations only seeking more power. Now that Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Kejriwal, a stronger Lokpal bill istead, could have investigated the GheeGate allegations," Ajay Maken wrote.
Making an appeal to advocates of the Congress, Maken said they shoul not represent Kejriwal or his government in court.
"While it is within their professional realm to represent anyone, doing so for Kejriwal's government and associates sends the wrong message to our cadres and confuses them. It ultimately benefits the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by dividing Congress Party votes," Ajay Maken wrote
