Delhi Mome Minister Kailash Gehlot at the 78th Independence Day Celebration at Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi.
| Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot on Thursday hoisted the national flag at the Delhi government’s 78th Independence Day ceremony at Chhatrasal Stadium, and in his address questioned the “true meaning of independence” at a time when a “modern-day freedom fighter” like Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had been “jailed without evidence”.
“Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accepted the punishment of working for the people of Delhi by going to jail, but did not bow down before the forces standing against democracy. It is a matter of concern and contemplation for every person who believes in democracy whether we got independence from the British only to see an elected CM being jailed without evidence,” said Mr. Gahlot.
The BJP’S Delhi unit, however, slammed the Minister for “spreading propaganda” through his “politicised speech”.
‘Democracy snatched’
Mr. Gahlot attacked the BJP-led Centre for passing an ordinance and then a law to override the powers given to Mr. Kejriwal by the Supreme Court last year to transfer and post officers of Delhi.
“By doing this, the democratic rights of the people of Delhi were taken away. The ability of the elected government of Delhi to do its work was taken away. But even after this, Kejriwalji did not let any work stop, and today, on behalf of Kejriwalji, I want to assure the two crore people of Delhi that whatever happens, our work for you will continue. Your free electricity, education, health care and travel for women on buses will continue,” he said.
Mr. Gahlot also listed out the achievements of the Aam Aadmi Party government, citing the works as “small examples of fundamental changes” that have showed that “Arvind Kejriwal is not just a name, but a thought, an idea”.
The Minister, after the parade, also honoured police personnel for exceptional contributions, and awarded the President’s Correctional Medal to Assistant Superintendent (Retd.) Urmila Bhandari for providing basic facilities to prisoners across Delhi prisons; Assistant Superintendent Indrajit Singh for introducing various innovations in jails; and Head Warder Sunil Kumar for his excellent services.
In the absence of Mr. Kejriwal, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy, AAP had nominated Finance Minister Atishi to hoist the national flag. However, overriding the decision, Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena nominated Mr. Gahlot to take her place.
‘Political propaganda’
Reacting to the AAP leader’s statement terming Mr. Kejriwal a freedom fighter, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said it would have been more appropriate to compare him to Persian invader Nadir Shah.
“Whether it was his [Mr. Gahlot’s] mention of old electricity or water schemes or the claims of ‘forces against the nation trying to stop Kejriwal’, everything seemed like political propaganda,” he said.
