New Delhi: Responding to the Opposition's charge that the BJP government at the Centre had misused agencies to get Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren arrested, defence minister Rajnath Singh wondered why courts didn't grant relief to these leaders.
In an interview, Rajnath Singh accused the Opposition of misleading the people of the country. "If someone thinks they can get away with such remarks, this is not possible," he said.
The defence minister also reacted to the Congress party's allegation that BJP has a washing machine, which makes leaders of other parties "clean" after they join the ruling party.
"Even if it is assumed that Arvind Kejriwal went to jail because of us, why is he not getting relief? Have we taken control of the courts also? What are these people trying to say? Let them have the audacity to say we have captured courts also...is it possible?" Rajnath Singh told ANI.
Singh said the Enforcement Directorate, CBI and the Income Tax department were doing their jobs. He said if the Opposition thought their leaders were being jailed over baseless allegations, they could get protection from courts.
Rajnath Singh said if AAP leader Sanjay Singh could get bail, why other leaders weren't able to get similar relief from courts.
"India has to be made corruption-free, this is the resolve of our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi). If they (Opposition parties) feel that they have been framed, their leaders are in jail on baseless allegations, they can get protection from courts. If Sanjay Singh (AAP leader) can get bail, why other (party leaders) have not been able to get similar relief,” he told ANI.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh recently got bail in a money laundering case linked to the liquor policy scam. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in October last year.
His party colleague Manish Sisodia, however, has been languishing in jail over similar charges since February 2023. Several courts have dismissed his bail applications since his arrest.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested last month by the Enforcement Directorate in the liquor policy case. The Delhi High Court recently refused to strike down ED's action. He has moved the Supreme Court against the court verdict and arrest.
Rajnath Singh said the Opposition appeared to have no faith in courts.
He also said there was no washing machine in the BJP and the government wasn't telling agencies to arrest specific people.
"There is no washing machine, agencies have to do their work and they will do so. Are we telling agencies to arrest a specific person, these are baseless allegations. They are trying to cover up their mistakes, weaknesses, are trying to mislead the people and if they think that by misleading they can get away from allegations of corruption, they are mistaken," he told ANI.
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