Ahmedabad, Sep 12 (PTI) In a swipe at the Centre, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on Monday alleged that probe agencies were being used to conduct raids for “extortion” and not to end corruption.
Speaking about the purported raid conducted by “three policemen” at the AAP’s office in Ahmedabad on Sunday, Kejriwal claimed the policemen were asking about money.
“We are a poor party with no money. The policemen searched our office for two hours and left. They were asking our people about money. They left when we said there was no money. Today, the Ahmedabad police said no raid took place. This is surprising,” he said.
“What is going on in this country? Is this how a policiya sarkar (police state) works? Police are entering any house or office without valid papers,” he questioned while speaking at a town hall in Ahmedabad in poll-bound Gujarat.
The Ahmedabad police had refuted the claim of AAP that its office was raided on Sunday.
Kejriwal said the country cannot progress until businessmen are free from the fear of raids.
He urged the business sector in the state to support AAP in the Assembly polls, due in December this year, as a victory would mean the AAP has three chief ministers (Delhi, Gujarat, and Punjab), which will allow its voice to be heard by the Centre for simplification of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
“They are scaring people through agencies not to end corruption but for extortion. All the agencies are being used for extortion. Until the businessmen of the country are rid of fear and can do business freely, the country will not progress,” Kejriwal said.
The AAP government will be corruption-free and will ensure people can do business freely without fear of raids as well as works towards simplification of the GST process at the state and Central levels, the AAP leader claimed.
He said the party will have three chief ministers if it wins in Gujarat and “when the three CMs raise their voice before the Centre, we will be heard more”.
Attacking the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Kejriwal said, “They are doing their best to spread lies across the country that Kejriwal is involved in liquor scam, Manish Sisodia is behind Rs 144 crore corruption. They conducted raids on his house and could not even find Rs 10,000.” Raids on the AAP at several places, including Gujarat, have yielded nothing as the party and its individuals are honest and do not take money, Kejriwal claimed.
“They found nothing in the houses of Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain. They keep talking about such things. The public is watching. When we formed government in Delhi, we stopped all the raids,” he said. PTI KA PD BNM NSK NSK
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