A new political slugfest erupted between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Centre over the arrest of Delhi Law Minister Jitendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday in connection with a fake certificate row.
While the Centre maintained that law was taking its own course in the issue, the AAP said it is an “Emergency-like” situation in the State.
Tomar is facing an investigation on a complaint by the Bar Council, Delhi, that his law degree is fake. Tomar, who was arrested in the morning, was sent to four-day police custody by a city court in the evening.
The Congress and the BJP attacked AAP supremo, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on the issue. While the Congress demanded the resignation of both Kejriwal and Tomar, the Left parties came to the rescue of AAP and said the arrest is a “shocking instance of arbitrary exercise of power” by Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh rubbished AAP allegations. “The Ministry of Home Affairs does not indulge in such activities. The law takes it own course. There is no interference by the MHA in any such matter,” Singh said in Lucknow.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said corrupt leaders are attempting to force an emergency-like situation in Delhi. “We won’t spare anyone who tries to stop us from fighting this war against corruption in Delhi,” he added.
President of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee Ajay Maken said Kejriwal should own up moral responsibility for the issue and resign.
“This is the first time in the history of Delhi that a minister has been arrested. Kejriwal has double standards, why is he waiting for a court order in this case. This matter was raised by Prashant Bhushan and then why didn’t he act... Tomar should resign and so should Kejriwal,” Maken said.
The CPI(M) said in a statement that the arrest has been effected when the matter is before the court.
“The BJP government at the Centre is using the Lt Governor to ride roughshod over the elected state government of Delhi. The Lt Governor has by a series of actions showed that he will not abide by democratic and federal norms. He should quit office immediately,” the CPI(M) Polit Bureau said in a statement.