The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has come down heavily on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his failure to contain corruption in the party and strangulating freedom of speech of party volunteers thereby bidding good-bye to democratic norms which according to his own earlier declarations form the ethos of his party.In a statement here today, senior SAD leader and education minister Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema said the removal of Alka Lamba from the post of AAP spokesperson for speaking truth on stepping down of former transport minister Delhi Gopal Rai is a clear indication that AAP convener displaying brazen dictatorial attitude. He categorically said Kejriwal is moving the party towards becoming the ‘one-man show’ in which there is no place for dissenting opinion or truth.
Branding AAP as a party neck deep in corruption, Dr. Cheema said that Gopal Rai is not the only case. Earlier also, numerous leaders of AAP are alleged to have been involved in corruption cases which make tall probity by AAP look false making this party the fountainhead of corruption.Taking on AAP, senior SAD leader said the removal of young women leader Ms Lamba has brought the fissures within the party in the open as its leaders are speaking in different tones on a matter related clearly to corruption. It is pertinent to mention here that Alka Lamba had stated that former minister Gopal Rai was asked to step down by none other than Kejriwal himself due to ongoing probe by anti-corruption bureau (ACB) into the app based premium bus service project whereas the AAP leadership officially gave out that Gopal Rai has resigned owing to personal reasons.
Cautioning the AAP to respect the mandate given by the people of Delhi, he said AAP in general and Kejriwal in particular should not think that people would believe any cooked up story being served to them by his party. The SAD leader reminded Kejriwal of the fact that fate had consigned those leaders to the political oblivion who had tried to play games with the sentiments of the people.Castigating Kejriwal for reducing AAP to one-man show and a party of ‘yes-men’, Dr Cheema said Kejriwal would do very well to remember the days when he shouted at the top of his voice for the sake of maintaining democratic norms, corruption free administration and right to dissent.Stating further, he said that it was a carefully designed ploy by AAP leader to capture political power in the course of which he even cheated his political mentor Anna Hazare. Advising Kejriwal to respect the constitutional norms and behave like a democratically elected leader, the SAD leader said if AAP convener doesn’t mends his ways then days are not far off when he and his party would become a relic of the past.