AAP: The Siege Continues
There seems to be no respite for the leaders of Aam Aadmi Party as another leader is caught in the crosshairs of a government body
Shibu Kumar Tripathi
Fatehpur Beri village in Chhatarpur was transformed into a cantonment of sorts with the deployment of over 150 police officials on Wednesday, as Income Tax officials raided the residence of local Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Kartar Singh Tanwar. The raid began at 8.30 in the morning and continued through the day.
Following the raid, AAP legislator Sanjay Singh tweeted, “Have you heard of 200 policemen in an IT raid, in place of arresting rapists, Modi’s police is chasing AAP MLAs.” In another sarcastic tweet, he said, “AAP MLA Kartar Singh Tanwar’s number came this morning; let’s see who is targeted till evening.”
Party workers outside Tanwar’s residence said that the police was treating us like ‘terrorists’, and no one was allowed to go inside, no one came out either. They alleged the BJP of hatching a conspiracy against the state government.
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of unleashing the IT department on AAP, Dilip Pandey reacted on Twitter and said, “Just in: Income Tax raid on Chhatarpur MLA Kartar Singh Tanwar. Modi ji had unleashed Central Bureau of Investigation, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Delhi Police earlier, now IT too, AAP won't bow down, won't bend." In another tweet Singh said, "Disheartened by past performance, Modi ji seems to be improving his strike rate now, almost an AAP MLA everyday, to keep democratic principles away."
AAP accused the Modi led government of obstructing in functioning of the state government, using different agencies and legal bodies. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia tweeted “Modi Ji you keep stopping us using CBI, Police, Income Tax, ED, IB and we will keep working for the people of Delhi.”
Ever since gaining power AAP has been at the center of myriad controversies, allegations, arrests and court proceedings. Over a dozen of its MLAs have been booked in various cases. AAP recently faced a double blow when two of its legislators, Amanatullah Khan and Naresh Yadav were arrested by Delhi Police on July 24. Khan, MLA from Okhla, was arrested following a complaint from a woman who alleged that Khan threatened her with rape and murder when she approached him to complain about frequent power cuts in his constituency. Khan has been sent into judicial custody till August 9. Meanwhile, Mehrauli MLA Naresh Yadav was arrested on charges of desecrating the holy Quran in Malerkotla, Punjab. He was charged under IPC sections 109, 153A, 295.
Reacting strongly to the relentless crackdown on its leaders AAP had said that the BJP government is using an ‘undeclared emergency’ to prosecute its democratically elected electoral leaders. Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener had declared the ongoing scuffle between the two governments as “a holy war between Kauravas and Pandavas.” It remains to be seen as to who wins this Mahabharat.