Kejriwal Writes To Stalin Ahead Of CBI Probe, Says 'Democracy Is Suffering From Blows Every Day'

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin over the state government's confrontation with Governor RN Ravi.

Arvind Kejriwal wrote the letter to MK Stalin a day ahead of his questioning by the CBI pertaining to the Delhi excise policy case.

Source : PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday over the state government's confrontation with Governor RN Ravi. While extending his support to Stalin, Kejriwal said in his letter that "democracy in India is suffering from blows every single day." The timing of the letter is interesting as it comes a day ahead of the Aam Aadmi Party Chief Kejriwal's questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) pertaining to the Delhi excise policy case. 

Kejriwal shared the letter of support for Stalin on his Twitter account today, where he said, “We condemn the actions of Centre and its representatives to constrain powers of non-BJP State Governments.”

We condemn the actions of Centre & its representatives to usurp & constrain powers of non-BJP State Govts. I support Shri @mkstalin's efforts. We will also table a resolution in Delhi Vidhan Sabha urging the Centre to fix time limits for Governors/LG to carry out their functions. pic.twitter.com/jHizPTmL0U

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 15, 2023

In the letter, he said, "Every tenet of our glorious constitution stands compromised." The letter read that the federal structure of India, which enfranchised people in the most remote corners, is in grave danger from forces that seek to illegitimately centralise power.

Kejriwal also mentioned Delhi when he said, "The fact that the Governors or Lieutenant Governors of non-BJP ruled governments are indefinitely holding Bills passed by Legislative Assemblies or files sent by the Government of NCT of Delhi is not only a violation of our constitutional scheme, but also a disrespect for the people's mandate which is supreme in any democracy."

According to the letter, he said "The situation we are faced in Delhi is further exacerbated by the fact that the Lieutenant Governor has regularly meddled with the democratic mandate of Delhi's Legislature."

Kejriwal has been strongly hitting out at the BJP after getting a summon from the CBI. Earlier, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said Kejriwal is a well-regarded person and everyone knows what is being done with him. 

The (CBI) will question Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the now-withdrawn liquor policy case on Sunday. Kejriwal has been summoned by the CBI at 11 am tomorrow at the agency's headquarters in Delhi.

AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia has already been arrested by the CBI in the case. Sisodia has also been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering related to the alleged excise scam.

The excise policy 2021-22 was scrapped in August last year and the Delhi L-G later asked the CBI to probe alleged irregularities. The CBI has alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, an accusation strongly refuted by the AAP.