New Delhi : Labelling the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the ED in connection with the liquor policy case as 'unconstitutional', Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday tore into the BJP over "such shameful scenes are being witnessed for the first time in independent India".She said the 'new low' in politics and political discourse neither favours Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor his government at the Centre.
"Targeting Delhi Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal in this manner due to elections is completely wrong and unconstitutional. Lowering the level of politics in this manner neither suits the Prime Minister nor his government. Fight your critics in the electoral battle, confront them boldly, and of course, attack their policies and working style--all those are par for the course in a democracy. But using all the institutions of the country to fulfill one's political objective and weakening them by exerting pressure is against every grain of democracy," Priyanka posted from her X handle on Thursday.
The Congress leader alleged further that the Opposition parties were under pressure from central agencies.
"The bank accounts of the country's largest Opposition party, the Congress, have been frozen. All Opposition parties and their leaders are under pressure, night and day, from the ED, CBI and IT. One chief minister (Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren) was put in jail and now the another (Kejriwal) is behind bars as well. Such shameful scenes are being seen for the first time in the history of independent India," Priyanka posted.
Meanwhile, following Kejriwal's arrest, AAP leader and Delhi minister Atishi said the party has moved the Supreme Court, seeking quashing of the arrest of the party convenor and an urgent listing of the matter in the apex court.
"We have moved the Supreme Court to quash the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal by ED. We have asked for an urgent hearing by the Supreme Court tonight itself," Atishi posted on X.
Earlier in the eventing, she said Kejriwal would run Delhi government from jail."We have received news that ED has arrested Arvind Kejriwal. We have always said that Arvind Kejriwal will run the govt from jail. He will remain the CM of Delhi. We have challenged his arrest in the Supreme Court. Our lawyers are reaching the Supreme Court. We will demand an urgent hearing tonight," she said.
Earlier, a team from the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) arrived at Kejriwal's residence on Thursday for questioning him in connection with the liquor policy case.
The team conducted a search operation at his residence, sources said. The ED team reached his residence for questioning hours after the Delhi High Court refused interim protection to Kejriwal from coercive action in connection with the excise policy case.