Arvind Kejriwal recently resigned as Delhi’s CM after he got bail from the Supreme Court (SC) in the Delhi Liquor Excise Scam case. He was in prison for about 6 months, but he did not resign during that period, but while giving bail the SC put a condition that he could not go to his office, sign any file, and perform daily CM functions. What was Kejriwal’s stand while resigning, that he will go back to the people and people will vote him back as non-corrupt person in the next state assembly elections? The order of SC, means that the judiciary has found some substance in corruption charges against him, and that’s why the judiciary has put the conditions while giving him bail.
Arvind Kejriwal is one politician, who will say one thing today, and tomorrow he will the opposite of the same. There are numerous examples, where he has openly gone back on his words. At that time of his entry into politics, he promised so many things, and said he will not do this thing and that thing, but after gaining power he forgot all his promises made to public.
Here are few examples of his way of working;
1 While campaigning for 2013 Delhi state assembly election, his campaign was centered around the corruption charges against then Congress CM Shiela Dixit. He even promised not to take support from the Congress or the BJP in the event of hung assembly. Yet after the results his party AAP got only 28 seats, BJP 31 and Congress 8. He formed the minority government with the outside support from the Congress. This after the fact he defeated Shiela Dixit by 25,000 votes in the New Delhi constituency.
2 After forming the government, Kejriwal ordered Delhi’s anti-corruption bureau to file FIR against Mukesh Ambani of Reliance, alleging that they have deliberately reduced natural gas production from the KG-D6 block to create a shortage. The FIR also named UPA government’s oil ministers from the Congress party, and Congress party was supporting his government from outside. Legal experts questioned the Delhi government’s authority to do so as it was a central subject. The case soon faded away, and did not lead to any major legal outcome.
3 His incessant tussles with Delhi’s Lieutenant Governors (LG)- He worked with three LGs Najeeb Jung, Anil Baijal and the present VK Saxena. He had issues with all of them. Kejriwal and his ministers never left a chance to tell the public that LG was blocking their decision on PM Modi’s instructions. In May 2015, the home ministry issued a notification saying that LG hasd the final decision on matters related to Police, public order, land and services, and Delhi ACB can not investigate central govt employees. His govt challenged this order in HC, in their HC said LG had complete control of all matters regarding National Capital Territory of Delhi.
4 Mohalla Clinics- In Oct 2015 his govt set up primary health centres called Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics across Delhi. However in 2017, the Delhi Vigilance department found irregularities with Mohalla clinics. Later, the LG ordered CBI probe into the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the functioning of clinics. The allegations included lack of basic healthcare services, essential medicines, non presence of equipment and doctors, overbilling by doctors, and lack of transparency in allotment of clinics.
5 Demanding video proof of surgical strikes- About a week after the Indian Army conducted surgical strikes on terror launch pads in Pakistan in September 2016, he demanded that Modi government should issue video clip of the operation to counter Pakistan’s propaganda denying strikes took place. His statement led to major political controversy with the BJP saying that he was questioning the veracity of army’s action.
6 Soft Hindutva- He claims that he is against politics based on caste and religion. Nonetheless, he has often introduced as Hanuman Bhakt during elections campaign and even recited Hanuman Chalisa during a TV interview. His govt launched a pilgrimage scheme- “Mukhya mantra Teerth Yatra Yojana”, that provides senior citizens with free travel to various pilgrimage centres, including Ayodhya.
7 Official Residence- When he took the oath of CM, he said that he will not stay government’s official CM bungalow. But after few days citing security reason s he moved into the official residence of CM. In 2023, his govt was accused of excessively spending taxpayer’s money on renovation of CM’s bungalow, as CAG found out that more than Rs 52 Cr was spent on this renovation. The CAG began a special audit in June 2023, while CBI initiated an inquiry in the matter in September 2023. In July 2024 two PWD officials were suspended.
8 New Excise Policy and Arrest- The arrest was related to the new excise policy that his govt implemented in November 2021 to modernize alcohol sales in Delhi. However, less than a year later, the policy was withdrawn after vehement opposition, allegations of procedural irregularities, and widespread corruption. After LG’s recommendations, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered a case accusing AAP leaders of receiving kickbacks from liquor businesses. Simultaneously CBI started a probe into this excise scam. In came out in open that kickback money was used by AAP for funding Punjab and Goa state assembly elections. In February 2023, his second in command Dy CM Manish Sisodia was arrested, and about a year later Kejriwal was also arrested. Sisodia got the bail after 16 months, and Kejriwal after about 6 months. Both of them are out of their earlier official positions.
Above mentioned examples are just a tip of iceberg showing how Delhi’s CM operated from 2013 onwards. His main grouse is against with BJP party and PM Modi now, and he leaves no occasion to criticize PM. After having more than circumstantial evidence against him for large scale corruption, how he is going to face Delhi’s voters in next state assembly election early next year is to be seen.
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Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
1st October 2024