False cases being slapped to weaken opposition, atmosphere of fear created, says Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Pic/PTI

False cases are being slapped in an attempt to subdue and threaten opposition leaders and parties, and an "atmosphere of fear" has been created, which is not good for the country, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in Delhi on Friday, reported news agency PTI.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo said this in response to reporters' queries on the several raids carried out by central agencies, reported PTI.

"We are seeing how false cases are being slapped in an attempt to subdue and threaten opposition leaders, opposition parties," Arvind Kejriwal said.

In many instances, people are being "split" to induct them into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is not good for democracy, he charged, reported PTI.

Arvind Kejriwal's comments came two days after senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with its money-laundering probe linked to the 2021-22 Delhi Excise policy case.

Arvind Kejriwal also claimed that not only opposition leaders, but many businessmen are "also being targeted", reported PTI.

"An atmosphere of fear that has been created in the country, not just in politics, but also in business and trade and industry, this atmosphere of fear is not good for the country. A country cannot grow (like this). The country will not progress by playing this agency-agency game," he said.

The chief minister was interacting with reporters during his visit to the Ghazipur landfill site in east Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said the regular arrests of senior AAP leaders in corruption cases have torn its claim of "kattar" (hardcore) honesty and politics of values to shreds, asserting that it also provides "food for thought" to citizens that this is not the time for experimental politics when the country is marching ahead, reported PTI.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi cited a Delhi court's observations that the material placed before it nowhere shows that Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh's arrest in the excise policy case is unwarranted and unreasonable, as he slammed the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) condemnation of the action against its leader, reported PTI.

Noting that Singh is the AAP's leader in Parliament while two other senior leaders of the party -- Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain -- have also been jailed on corruption charges, Trivedi told reporters here that the frequent arrests of its leaders have exposed the claims made by the party led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

"For those who are alleging that the case is baseless, the Rouse Avenue Court has clearly observed that prima facie, the material placed before it nowhere shows that the arrest in the present case is unwarranted and unreasonable," he said.

The AAP, which had promised to establish values in Indian politics, has become the "most valueless party" and the people of Delhi are feeling cheated, the BJP leader said, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)