Excise policy case: 'Truth always triumphs,' says Punjab CM on Kejriwal's court verdict

Chandigarh, Feb 27 (PTI) The Punjab unit of AAP on Friday hailed the court's discharge of AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in the excise policy case, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann exclaiming, "truth always triumphs." Mann also said the court order shows that central agencies are being misused by the BJP government at the Centre to stop the Aam Aadmi Party.

A Delhi court discharged former Delhi chief minister Kejriwal and his ex-deputy Sisodia in the excise policy case, pulling up the CBI by saying its case was wholly unable to survive judicial scrutiny and stood discredited in its entirety.

Besides the two leaders, 21 others were also discharged in the matter.

Celebrations broke out at AAP's office here with partyleaders and workers exchanging sweets and dancing to the beats of the dhol.

In a post on X, Mann said, "Truth always triumphs. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal ji and Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia ji have been acquitted by the Hon'ble Delhi Court in the liquor scam case. This decision of the Hon'ble Court has brought the truth to light. With time, the truth in all other cases will also be revealed." Later in a video message, Mann said the discharge of Kejriwal, Sisodia, and others has vindicated the party's consistent stand that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and other central agencies have been "reduced to mere puppets in the hands of the Union government to target political rivals." "It is a historic day in the politics of the country because the court has acquitted Arvind Kejriwal and 23 others who were wrongly booked by the CBI. The case against Arvind Kejriwal and others was a desperate attempt by the Union government to stop the Aam Aadmi Party, which was spreading its wings across the country through its agenda of good work," Mann said.

The order of the court is a testament to the fact that the dark night, however long it is, does end and the triumph of light is there, he said.

"The prayers of the common people have done wonders and these honest leaders have been acquitted. The order of the court has put a serious question mark on the working of the CBI, which is acting like a puppet in the hands of its masters. It has exposed the blatant misuse of the central agencies by those in power at the Centre to muzzle the voice of democracy," the Punjab CM said.

"In order to merely win the elections in Delhi, the entire decision-making team of the AAP was put behind bars by the BJP-led Union government," he said.

The court's decision has proved that Kejriwal "is an honest man who rules the hearts of people because he speaks the truth", he added.

"The traditional parties are envious of the AAP because we have set the agenda of the welfare of the common man. Earlier, the Congress and the BJP used to play friendly matches by enjoying power on a rotation basis and securing the interests of each other during their days in power.

"They used to play musical chairs in power and waited for their turns to plunder the people and the country," Mann said.

Targeting his attack at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah Mann said while it was okay to "want to rule", they should have done it by winning win the hearts of the people through work, "not such tactics".

"Instead of improving education, roads, power, health sector, employment and other sectors in the country, the BJP is pursuing its agenda of hate and divisiveness. These democratically elected dictators use dissent and lure among their political rivals to freeze election symbols and then manipulate the polls." Mann said.

Punjab AAP president and cabinet minister Aman Arora welcomed the verdict and accused the BJP-led Centre of misusing central agencies to malign AAP. "As the saying goes 'Justice can be delayed but not denied'," he wrote on X.

"People of the Country will give a befitting reply to the conspirators in days to come," Arora added.

Speaking to reporters later, Arora termed the relief not only a victory of Kejriwal and AAP, but a victory of truth.

"It happened for the first time that a false case was registered against the sitting chief minister just to politically finish him. Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah should seek an apology for the bundle of lies," he alleged.

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema termed the court's decision a historic victory.

"The court's ruling has proven that the conspiracy hatched by the BJP against the Aam Aadmi Party was baseless. The BJP resorted to using agencies to tarnish the image of leaders providing honest leadership, but the honourable court's justice system has brought the truth to light. This decision is a symbol of the strengthening of the Constitution and democracy," he said. PTI CHS SKY SKY