Amid the row over Delhi excise policy, social activist Anna Hazare has written to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal slamming him for getting intoxicated with power and forgetting the ideologies and values of the movement that created the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
According to him, Kejriwal after becoming Delhi CM has lost his ideology.
Anna Hazare wrote, "This is the first time I am writing to you after you became Chief Minister. The recent news about the Delhi government on the liquor scam is disheartening. I have been inspired by Gandhiji and his ideology. Based on this, I have dedicated my life to the people, society and the country. For the last 47 years, I have been working towards the upliftment of society and corruption."
The socialist reformer reminded the Delhi CM of his own lines from his book 'Swaraj' while criticising Delhi's liquor policy and accusing him of getting intoxicated with the power.
Kejriwal had written 'Swaraj' in 2012 before joining politics.
"Before stepping into politics, you had written a book 'Swaraj'. You had got the foreword of the book written by me. You had boasted about the Gramsabha and the liquor policy in the book. Whatever you had written is to remind you," said Hazare
"You had written the book titled 'Swaraj' where you wrote about ideals. There was a lot of hope from you then, but after going into politics and becoming the Chief Minister, you have forgotten the ideology. Just like alcohol intoxication, there is an intoxication of power also. It looks like you have drowned in the intoxication of power. (Aap Satta Ke Nashe Mein Doob Gaye Hain)."
He further criticized Delhi's new excise policy, which he said encouraged the sale and consumption of liquor. "Liquor shops were being opened in every corner of the city and it is very bad for the general public," he wrote.
Hazare cited protests he had led over liquor policies in Maharashtra. "Had expected a similar policy (like Maharashtra's). But you didn't do it. People seem to be trapped in a circle of money for power and power for money. It doesn't suit a party that emerged from a major movement," Hazare wrote.
Delhi Excise Policy:
The excise policy was passed in Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Cabinet in the middle of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. The Delhi government's version is that the policy was formulated to ensure the generation of optimum revenue, and eradicate the sale of spurious liquor or non-duty paid liquor in Delhi, besides improving user experience.
The CBI had filed a case against alleged corruption in the 2021-22 excise policy. The excise policy was subsequently withdrawn by the AAP government.
CBI raids on Dy CM:
Earlier this month, CBI raids on Manish Sisodia's official residence in connection with the alleged corruption in the implementation of Delhi's Excise Policy.
It was alleged that irregularities were committed including modifications in the Excise Policy and undue favours were extended to the license holders including waiver or reduction in licence fee, an extension of L-1 license without approval etc.
It was further alleged that illegal gains on the count of these acts were diverted to concerned public servants by private parties and made false entries in their books of accounts.
The raids have led to a political slugfest with BJP leaders including Union Minister Anurag Thakur hitting out at Kejriwal and Sisodia over alleged "liquor corruption". AAP has termed the allegations as politically motivated.
Sisodia gets clean chit:
The CBI has given him a "clean chit" following its search of his locker, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Tuesday after a team of the probe agency went through his locker for about two hours.
Sisodia and his wife were present as the four-member team conducted the search at a Punjab National Bank branch in Vasundhara, Ghaziabad, on the outskirts of the national capital.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader is among the 15 people and entities named in an FIR registered by the agency in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of Delhi government's Excise Policy 2021-22.
The CBI was acting under pressure, Sisodia told reporters after the search was over.
