'Stop gimmickry, trust judiciary': Delhi CM Rekha Gupta ticks off Kejriwal

New Delhi, April 27 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and city BJP President Virendra Sachdeva hit out at former CM and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for “gimmicks”, showing lack of trust in the higher judiciary and expressing fears of bias against a High Court judge in a corruption case. 

Sachdeva condemned Kejriwal, an accused in the 2022 Delhi liquor scam, for once again writing a letter on Monday to Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma and expressing distrust in her.

Chief Minister Gupta said on X, “Kejriwal Sahab is one of those people who say that we are the lawyers too, we are the witnesses too, and we are the judges too. If everything is the same, then what's the need for this justice system?”

“The way you are behaving, saying I won't go to court. The accusations you levelled against a judge, the questions you raised -- is this befitting of you?” asked the Chief Minister.

“A culprit, a criminal entangled in the liquor scam, with such a massive charge sheet against him, raising his voice against the pillar of justice and saying they might take some decision against me… Sitting outside, you say I've become a satyagrahi -- well, I think this is nothing but a cheap joke, a joke that neither the public likes nor does our justice system permit,” said the Chief Minister.

Earlier, the Delhi BJP President stated that it is extremely unfortunate that Kejriwal, who took an oath to follow the Constitution and became Chief Minister of Delhi three times, is now undermining the dignity of that very Constitution out of fear of punishment for corruption.

Sachdeva said that as per the Constitution and legal procedures, Kejriwal sought all possible legal relief, including approaching the Supreme Court, but after failing at all levels, he has now crossed all limits by again writing to the HC Judge.

Kejriwal now claims he will follow the path of Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha. He should explain whether the liquor scam, the “Sheesh Mahal” controversy, or any other acts of corruption were carried out by following any path shown by Mahatma Gandhi, he said.

The Delhi BJP President added that it would not be an exaggeration to say that Kejriwal has been continuously engaging in political theatrics over the liquor scam case, and after losing his appeal in the High Court, is now crossing all limits by making personal allegations against the Judge.

“The people of Delhi and the country clearly understand Kejriwal’s disruptive theatrics. It would be better if he abandoned such actions and followed the constitutional judicial process,” said Sachdeva.

In another development, Delhi BJP Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said that it is laughable for AAP’s Delhi convenor Saurabh Bhardwaj to speak of public anger against MP Raghav Chadha due to his switch from the AAP to the BJP.

He stated that the real public anger was shown by the people of Delhi against corruption in the AAP government, when Kejriwal and Bhardwaj themselves were defeated in the Assembly elections last year.

He said that today Punjab is witnessing public anger against the AAP government over corruption, alleged election fund extortion, rising drug problems, and threats faced by traders, and that AAP’s exit from Punjab in 2027 is certain.

He said Chadha had been warning the party since 2024 regarding corruption issues -- first in the Delhi government’s liquor case and then in Punjab -- but his concerns were ignored by Kejriwal.

Instead, the AAP National Convenor removed Chadha from the post of Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha and humiliated him, after which seven AAP MPs decided to leave the party and join the BJP in national interest.