New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi on Sunday asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party is "afraid" of Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal and that is why BJP is putting all the AAP leaders behind bars.
"Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are putting all the Aam Aadmi Party leaders in jail one by one, why? Because they are afraid of Arvind Kejriwal's work. They are not able to provide 24-hour electricity, free electricity, good schools, that is why they want to finish Aam Aadmi Party," Atishi told ANI.
Amid the mega march by AAP over the arrest of CM Kejriwal's former aide in connection with the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, Delhi Police on Sunday detained some people who were protesting against the BJP in the national capital.
Meanwhile, Delhi Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said that Delhi Police is involved in the day-to-day conspiracies of BJP.
"Everyone knows that Bibhav Kumar was in Lucknow with the CM, but Delhi Police planted the news that he is absconding, ten teams have been formed for him... Delhi Police is involved in the day-to-day conspiracies of BJP...Another lie being circulated is that the CCTV camera's footage is missing...CCTV footage of the Chief Minister's residence along with DVR has already been taken by the police...Why Delhi Police is continuously spreading lies?" he said.
AAP leader Durgesh Pathak said that every day AAP leaders are being arrested every day one after another and it causes problems for the people.
"Hence we were there so that if they want they can arrest all of us together, we were there for half an hour but no one came," he said.
AAP leader Sandeep Pathak accused PM Modi of putting all AAP leaders to jail.
"The PM is putting all our leaders in jail one after another and that too without any reason. It's wasting his, ours and the country's time, hence we went to give our arrests so that the time can be saved. If they had arrested us today, more people would have come tomorrow to give their arrest," he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party attacked AAP and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for saving Bibhav Kumar.
Moreover, BJP candidate from North East Delhi Lok Sabha seat Manoj Tiwari said that Arvind Kejriwal is protesting to save a man who beat a woman.
"Today Arvind Kejriwal is protesting to save a man who beat a woman, today Nirbhaya's soul must be crying that those who had sworn to protect women are today protesting to save a man who beat a woman," he said.
"He (Arvind Kejriwal) is trying to save Bhibav Kumar, this shows that this incident has taken place on his directions," he said.
He further questioned why Kejriwal is not speaking anything against Bibhav Kumar.
"Arvind Kejriwal is protesting to save a person who has misbehaved with a woman at his residence...Why Arvind Kejriwal is not speaking anything against Bibhav Kumar? Why is he trying to save him? He has misbehaved with a woman? He has also destroyed the CCTV footage, why? Such a big conspiracy has been done," he added.
BJP leader Shazia Ilmi said that "Aam Aadmi Party should be named as Aam Apradhi party and Bhibhv Kumar has become the Shahjahan Sheikh of Delhi. Bhibhv has misbehaved with a person who supported their party for so long...She was there for the party...Sanjay Singh said that the incident took place and action will be taken. What kind of action has been taken? The person who is a culprit is out, roaming free..."
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said that drama that the Delhi is doing, people have now understand this and they don't trust him.
"Arvind Kejriwal has nothing left with him as he is the one who came into politics by speaking against the corruption and he, himself was jailed under the charge of corruption. The drama that he is doing, people have now understand this and they don't trust him," he said.
Former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Aam Aadmi Party has become "Ahankari Aadmi Party."
"Arvind Kejriwal should answer why is not speaking if a woman who is a Rajya Sabha member from your party has been assaulted by your people. She was not just verbally assaulted but physically assaulted too. Instead of giving justice to your MP, you are trying the save the accused. Kejriwal ji you should remember this is India, where 'Mahabharat' happened when Draupadi was insulted and the entire linage was finished. Neither you nor your party will survive," he added.
Significantly, Kejriwal was earlier granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged scam with regard to the now-withdrawn excise policy.
The people, sporting black topis inscribed with the words 'Aajan Aadmi Party', were rounded up and dragged into police vehicles.
The AAP, earlier on Friday, declared a 'Jail Bharo' march to the BJP headquarters in the national capital to protest what they claimed to be arbitrary arrests of its leader at the behest of the Centre.
Earlier, on Saturday, Kejriwal's former PA was arrested in connection with the alleged assault on Maliwal. He was produced before the Tis Hazari Court, which remanded him in police custody for five days.
Arvind Kejriwal, accompanied by senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), ahead of a planned march to the BJP headquarters declared that Prime Minister Narendra Modi can send anyone he wishes to jail.
Kejriwal alleged that the BJP considers AAP as a threat and has executing "Operation Jhaadu" campaign to undermine his party.
"The PM has made up his mind to crush the Aam Aadmi Party," Mr Kejriwal said, claiming that the operation involves arresting prominent AAP leaders, seizing the party's bank accounts, and shutting down their offices.
Kejriwal released a personalised video after Bibhav's arrest, saying, "You can see how they (BJP) are after the AAP. One after another, they are putting our leaders behind bars. They put me, Manish Sisodia, Satyendra Jain, and Sanjay Singh behind bars. Today, they put my (former) PA in jail. Now they are saying they will put Raghav Chadha, Atishi, and Saurabh Bharadwaj in jail. Perhaps it was our fault that we built schools and mohalla clinics, while also providing electricity for free, which they failed to accomplish. I would like to tell the Prime Minister: you are playing a 'jail ka khel' with us. Tomorrow, I will lead a march to the BJP headquarters along with all my top leaders, MLAs, and MPs at noon. You can put whoever you want in jail," Kejriwal said.
Significantly, the Vigilance Department, last month, terminated Bibhav's service as the CM's personal assistant over a pending criminal case.
—ANI