Kejriwal’s arrest came at a time when his party is already grappling with the absence of its top leadership such as Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Sanjay Singh from action. The AAP is part of the Opposition INDIA bloc and contesting polls in Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat. Kejriwal is the party’s star campaigner. His arrest by the ED on Thursday night came after he failed to appear on the 9th summons in the Delhi excise policy scam case.
An "undeclared Emergency-like situation" has emerged in the country with the BJP trying to finish opposition parties, AAP national general secretary (organisation) Sandeep Pathak said.
The AAP leaders, angry over their party supremo's arrest, sharply reacted over the high-end development, terming the action against a sitting chief minister's a part of "BJP's vindictive politics which is murdering democracy".
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Here's what various other political leaders had to say:
Modi is scared of Kejriwal: Atishi Singh
This entire episode shows how scared PM Narendra Modi is of Kejriwal. He has hatched a conspiracy to send him to jail before the Lok Sabha election... "We have moved the SC for quashing the arrest of Delhi CM," stated the Education Minister of Delhi.
Completely wrong and unconstitutional: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
AICC general secretary said that targeting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in this manner due to elections is completely wrong and unconstitutional. Lowering the level of politics in this manner suits neither the PM nor his government.
Loot and lies finally come to an end: Virendra Sachdeva
The administration of loot and lies run by Arvind Kejriwal has finally come to an end. Since 2020-21, connections were being established between him and the Delhi Liquor scam. "I feel that the truth had to win in the end," said the Delhi BJP chief.
BJP (ED) cannot confine Kejriwal's ideology: Bhagwant Mann
The AAP leader had posted his support for his leader.
"The political team of BJP (ED) cannot confine Kejriwal's ideology because the AAP alone can stop BJP. Ideology can never be suppressed," he wrote on X in Hindi.
It is unmasking BJP’s true colours: MK Stalin
The Tamil Nadu CM and DMK president on Thursday condemned the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal and said this “tyranny ignites public fury, unmasking BJP’s true colours” and warned the saffron party to brace itself to face people’s wrath.
In a message on platform X, Stalin blamed the BJP for sinking to “despicable depths” by arresting Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Kejriwal ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, driven by the ruling party’s fear of a “decade of failures and imminent defeat”.
It exposes the cowardliness: Pinarayi Vijayan
The Kerala CM and CPI (M) member also condemned the Delhi Chief Minister's arrest. It exposes the cowardliness of those fearing the democratic process, he said in a statement.
Pinarayi mentioned that the arrest was part of the efforts to imprison those who air dissenting voices in the wake of elections. His party took out a protest march in Thiruvananthapuram late on Thursday against the arrest of Kejriwal.
This is a blatant assault on democracy: Mamata Banerjee
The West Bengal CM took to X (Twitter) and "vehemently condemned" Kejriwal's arrest. Mamata personally reached out to Smt Sunita Kejriwal to extend her "unwavering support and solidarity."
"It's outrageous that while elected opposition CMs are being deliberately targeted and arrested while individuals accused under CBI/ED investigations are allowed to continue their malpractices with impunity, especially after aligning with the BJP," she wrote.
Ruling party's "remarkable degree of nervousness" shown: Omar Abdullah
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Friday said the arrest of Kejriwal was a "blot" on democracy, and shows the ruling party's "remarkable degree of nervousness".
The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said his party stands with Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party.
"Aisi Taisi Democracy. For all the talk of 400+ seats, the ruling dispensation is displaying a remarkable degree of nervousness. Having a sitting opposition CM arrested by a pliable central agency within days of the general elections being announced is a blot on democracy," Abdullah said in a post on X.
ED and CBI have become chief instruments of repression: K T Rama Rao
The BRS working president has also condemned the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in an excise policy-linked money laundering case, alleging that the arrest was "unlawful".
The ED and CBI have become the "chief instruments of repression" in the hands of the BJP, Rama Rao, son of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said.
BJP will have to pay the price for misuse of power: Pawar
Pawar, who heads the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar, on Friday condemned the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate, saying the BJP will have to pay the price for the 'misuse of power.'
Speaking to reporters at Baramati in Maharashtra's Pune district, Pawar said he is confident people will show their collective power in the elections the way they had demonstrated during Emergency.
Referring to Kejriwal's arrest, Pawar (83) said federal agencies are being misused to suppress the voice of the Opposition.
"I condemn the action against Kejriwal as a constituent of INDIA bloc. We will stand strong behind Kejriwal," stressed Pawar.
Asked whether the action against the AAP leader will backfire on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, he said, "Hundred per cent. They will have to pay the price."
I had asked him to stay away from making such a policy: Anna Hazare
Social activist Anna Hazare, who had a decade ago become the face of the anti-corruption movement, Friday said he had warned Arvind Kejriwal, arrested in the excise policy case, to stay away from making such a policy.
Hazare, who spearheaded the Lokpal movement in the early 2010s along with Kejriwal, said the Delhi chief minister was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate because of his own deeds.
"I felt sad that a person like Kejriwal, who once worked with me and raised our voice against alcohol, is now making the excise policy."
He got arrested due to his deeds. Had he not done anything, there was no question of his being arrested. Now law will take its course and the government will do the needful," Hazare said.
