Questions raised on delay in action against Kejriwal in liquor scam

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit reacted sharply to reports of Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena giving approval to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to prosecute Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor scam. He raised questions as to why there was so much delay in taking action in this matter. Dikshit also claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government would no longer be able to be formed in Delhi and AAP would slip to third place.

“Why the delay in action in liquor scam?”

Sandeep Dixit said:

• “I wonder why it took so many days for the Lieutenant Governor to give his approval. This matter should have been decided by now. The culprits should have been in jail.”
• Describing the liquor scam as “big corruption”, he said that this matter is not new and its investigation has been going on for the last 2-3 years.

Benefits to private contractors and connections to South India

Sandeep Dixit criticized Delhi’s excise policy and said that this policy proved to be a loss-making deal for the Delhi government.

• “All private contractors were benefited. If contracts had to be given to private contractors, they would have been given to businessmen of Delhi. But the contracts were given to contractors from South India.”
• He alleged that the Kejriwal government cheated the people of Delhi by giving contracts to outsiders in the name of employment.

“No suspicion of corruption”

The Congress leader also said:

• “There is corruption in the liquor scam, there is no doubt about it. The question is whether the investigating agencies have collected enough evidence to prosecute the culprits.”
• He said that now that the action has started, he wonders why there was so much delay.

Answer on the question of Kejriwal getting sympathy

When asked whether legal action might get Kejriwal sympathy, Sandeep Dixit clarified:

• “Legal action does not see the elections. The legal process should be done.”
• He claimed that AAP will not get any benefit from this matter and their government will not be formed in Delhi.
• “I am confident that in this election Congress will remain in first place, BJP will slip to second and Aam Aadmi Party will slip to third place.”

Targeting free schemes

Sandeep Dixit also took on Kejriwal over the announcement of Ambedkar scholarship for Dalit students of Delhi.

• “Why are all Kejriwal’s promises free-for-free? Don’t they have any other idea?”
• He said that Delhi government should provide opportunities for higher education in the country itself.
• “When Sheila Dikshit was in power, excellent universities were built in Delhi, like Ambedkar University. But this government has abolished it.”

Congress claims: AAP will go to third place

Sandeep Dixit stressed that the support base of Aam Aadmi Party is decreasing.

• “The people of Delhi have now understood the truth of AAP.”
• He said that considering the increasing popularity of Congress, it is certain that AAP will be at third place and BJP at second place.