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NEW DELHI: The political temperature in the capital soared on Thursday as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a scathing attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of deliberately evading the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons in connection with a case related to the excise policy.
Arvind Kejriwal, who has been at loggerheads with the BJP, did not appear before the ED for questioning and instead sent a letter to the agency, seeking withdrawal of the summons. He alleged that the ED's move was "illegal and politically motivated."
Reacting sharply to Kejriwal's accusations, BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra held a press conference in Delhi, accusing the chief minister of running away from the truth. "Arvind Kejriwal ran away from the ED's summons. He does not want to face the truth... It won't be an exaggeration to say that the Delhi liquor scam king has accepted that he was involved in liquor scam and corruption," said Patra.
Emphasizing that the ED does not issue summons without substantial evidence, Patra alleged that Kejriwal is well aware of the truth but is unwilling to confront it. "Today it's proved that the one who is 'kattar' (outright) dishonest is 'kattar' shameless also," charged Patra, adding that Kejriwal is attempting to place himself above the law by questioning the agency's summons.
The BJP leader also took a dig at Kejriwal for singling out BJP MP Manoj Tiwari and attacking him over his comments regarding the possibility of the chief minister's arrest. "When Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh were summoned by the ED, you anticipated their arrest. Why the double standards now?" questioned Patra.
The ongoing tussle between the BJP and Arvind Kejriwal has intensified with this latest exchange, adding another chapter to the long-standing feud between the ruling party at the Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government. As the ED investigation continues, all eyes are now on how Kejriwal and his party will respond to the allegations and what the next course of action will be in this high-stakes political battle.
