AAP Gujarat gauntlet after CBI raids Manish Sisodia's home

Deputy CM draws attention to varying claims made by BJP, lieutenant governor’s office and probe agency in connection with a purported liquor scam

Sisodia at the news conference in New Delhi  on Saturday.: PTI picture

TT Special Correspondent   |   New Delhi   |    21.08.22 : A day after the CBI raided his home, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia drew attention to the varying claims made by the BJP, the lieutenant governor’s office and the probe agency in connection with a purported liquor scam.

AAP convenor and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced plans to campaign in poll-bound Gujarat on Monday and Tuesday.

Sisodia told reporters: “Yesterday, I was watching a press conference of (BJP MP) Manoj Tiwari in which he claimed that Rs 8,000 crore had been gobbled up and I am responsible for this. Some time later, another BJP leader said Manish Sisodia had committed a scam of Rs 1,100 crore. I was wondering from where they were getting this data because the press release (a note to the CBI) issued by the LG said that the alleged scam is worth only Rs 144 crore.

“Even the FIR brought by the CBI officers did not have any mention of this Rs 8,000 crore or Rs 1,100 crore or Rs 144 crore. The FIR stated that sources are saying that the scam is worth Rs 1 crore.”

Sisodia made it a point to refer to the BJP’s claim that a report in The New York Times on his education department’s performance was an “advertisement”. He held up front page of the paper with the article on the performance in education, which preceded the raid, and an earlier one on deaths during the pandemic.

“The leading newspapers of the world believe that the education model of Delhi can inspire the entire world. This is the same New York Times where another news article was published one-and-a-half years ago carrying photographs of lakhs of burning pyres on the banks of the Ganga during the Covid-19 pandemic. The scene was very painful to watch and the inhumane manner in which the bodies were burnt shocked our conscience. When the people of the country saw this news, we all felt ashamed as Indians on our governance model. The central government could not manage the outbreak and handle the treatment of the patients….”

Kejriwal tweeted: “On Monday, Manish ji and I will go to Gujarat for two days — to guarantee education and health. Like Delhi, Gujarat will also have good schools, good hospitals and Mohalla clinics. Everyone will get free good education and good treatment. People will be relieved. Will also interact with youth.”