During the fag end of UPA 2.0, Anna Hazare led anti-corruption movement gave hope of a reformation with the help of pressure groups, NGOs, civil societies and imminent personalities across all walks of life. Several protesters from the group used the momentum of the anti-corruption movement and catapulted themselves into politics. Arvind Kejriwal-leading the political group had promised a reformed politics free of corruption, crime and caste/communal politics.
Mockery of public and Judicial system by backing criminals
However, it seems that let apart from following his words/promises, he doesn’t even care to clean his own party and abound the ‘criminal/corrupt’ individuals. Rather he has been shielding tainted individuals on the false pretext of victim hood. To mock the queries and demand of accountability, he often stated that if anyone from AAP party is found guilty, he/she should be doubly punished. It is an open secret that, without party and top leadership distancing itself from alleged criminals, there are high chances of destruction of evidence and hampering the path of Justice.
The recent derogatory and communal remarks of AAP leader Rajendra Pal Gautam has highlighted this strategic plan of AAP party which has been observed in at least following six cases.
Rajendra Pal Gautam
On 9th of October on account of massive public pressure, AAP’s Social Welfare Minister Rajesh Pal Gautam resigned and vacated his portfolio. Earlier, the AAP’s legislator from Seemapuri, Rajesh Gautam had allegedly overseen the mass conversion event in Delhi on the evening of Dussehra.
AAP Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam who was spotted participating at an event, where people took an oath boycotting several Hindu Gods, resigns
(File picture of minister) pic.twitter.com/aezloNyIN6
— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2022
During a conversion event held on October 5, at Dr. BR Ambedkar Bhawan in New Delhi, he was seen spewing venom against Hindus and asking them to convert to Buddhism. Reportedly, around 10,000 Hindus were converted in en masse to Buddhism in the conversion event overseen by the AAP party legislator, Rajendra Gautam.
He along with the crowd took an anti-Hindu oath while converting en masse to Buddhism. In the viral videos, the crowd can be seen taking the following oath.
“I shall have no faith in Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara, nor shall I worship them. I shall have no faith in Rama and Krishna who are believed to be the incarnation of God nor shall I worship them.”
The oath further stated, “I shall not allow any ceremonies to be performed by Brahmins. I renounce Hinduism which is harmful to humanity and impedes the advancement and development of humanity because it is based on inequality and adopts Buddhism as my religion.”
The controversial AAP MLA while resigning from his ministerial berth accepted the fact that he resigned to reduce pressure on his political party and leader Arvind Kejriwal. He even defended his act of mass conversion. Further, the AAP party too didn’t denounce its Proselyte legislator Ramesh Gautam and removed him from the party giving tilanjali to its promises of clean politics, no backing/support to anti-socials, criminals, corrupt or communal bigots.
Manish Sisodia
The Number two in party, Manish Sisodia has been caught in the storm of liquor scam. He is facing serious charges of illegally favouring liquor businessmen by drafting the controversial Excise Policy 2021 for the state. Surprisingly, when the Delhi LG Vinai Saxena gave a nod to probe the excise policy, the AAP government made a hesty U-turn and cancelled the excise policy. CBI and ED have been making several raids, seizures and arrests in the case.
CBI had conducted raids on residence and offices of Manish Sisodia and his close associates. Delhi Deputy CM Sisodia allegedly waived off Rs 144.36 crores on licence fees, which was to be paid by the private liquor vendors. Import pass fee was removed and licences were issued illegally in exchange of bribes.
Also Read: Aam Aadmi Party – Second only to Congress in Corruption
As per the CBI, Manish Sisodia’s close aides Amit Arora, Dinesh Arora and Arjun Pandey were actively involved in managing and diverting the bribe money collected from Liquor licenses to accused public servants. More than 15 persons have been booked in the case. The agency has alleged Manish Sisodia as one of the accused in the Liquor scam. The U-turns, incriminating evidence from raids, arrests and seizures emboldens the gravity of the charges yet the so-called Imandar Party has not expelled or removed the accused Manish Sisodia from the party. Not even to let Justice do run its full course without any hindrance or favour from a party that is in power in two states. Let alone removing him from the party, AAP party has not even sacked him from his posts.
Satyendra Jain
AAP’s former Health Minister Satyendra Jain is behind bars on serious charges of money laundering and hawala transactions. He is alleged of money laundering when he was a public servant. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had attached his property to a tune of around 5 crores. After his arrest, the AAP rather than letting agencies do their work, AAP did everything to impede Justice. The party fully came in support of tainted leader Satyendra Jain. It even demanded to honour him with Padma awards apart from raising a minority angle to cover the alleged crimes or their Minister. Although, when the heat became unbearable for AAP party, it allocated the Health Ministry to Manish Sisodia but didn’t expel accused and jailed leader Satyendra Jain from the party.
Amanatullah Khan
AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan was arrested in the Delhi Waqf board graft case. The Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested him after it found incriminating material and evidence against AAP MLA Khan during searches conducted on premises of the AAP legislator and his aide. It is alleged that while serving as the Chairman of Delhi Waqf Board, Amanatullah Khan violated the rules and made “illegal appointments” to the board. He has not been expelled from the party.
Kailash Gehlot
In 2018, Income Tax raided 16 locations of AAP Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot in Delhi and Gurugram. The Income Tax Department conducted these raids in connection with an alleged tax evasion case. In September 2022, LG VK Saxena approved a CBI probe in the alleged DTC bus scam. The CBI is probing the alleged DTC bus scam. It will enquire about the purchase of 1,000 low-floor buses by Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC). The Minister Kailash Gehlot is also an accused in the bus scam. But he still holds key portfolios in the Kejriwal cabinet including Transport, Law and Justice, Revenue and Information and Technology. The so-called champion of “Clean Politics”, AAP party has not removed him from his berths let alone removed him from the party.
Also Read: Delhi LG’s nod to CBI probe into DTC bus scam will open Kejriwal’s dirty closet
Gopal Italia
AAP’s Gujarat President Gopal Italia is notorious for making derogatory statements against Hinduism. The rabid Hindu hater Gopal Italia spewed venom against Satyanarayana Puja. He had remarked, “Satyanarayan ki pooja me Hijdo ki tarah taaliya bajate hain”. Recently, his video is going viral in which he is making derogatory language for PM Modi and repeatedly calling PM Modi n***h [lowly], resorting to a cheap imitation of Mani Shankar Aiyar, with only difference that Gopal Italia has not been expelled from the party.
The new entrant in politics should drop the facade of doing clean politics or sack tainted leaders and let Justice prevail. By backing tainted leaders, AAP party is only impeding Justice, and mocking the public and Judicial system.
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