BJP workers hold ‘Holika of corruption’ in Delhi, burn Kejriwal’s effigies

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Delhi on Sunday held a counter-protest against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and burned effigies of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been jailed since March 21 in the excise policy case.

The saffron party workers who burned the chief minister’s effigies on the eve of the Holi festival said that they held the “Holika of corruption”.

In a video posted by the Delhi BJP on X, formerly known as Twitter, several party workers including state BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva can be seen an effigy with a poster of Kejriwal’s face on it. The workers can also be heard raising slogans like ‘Kejriwal isteefa do (Kejriwal, give your resignation)’.

“Holi is a festival of goodness over evil. Today we have done the Holika dahan of corruption. If there is one face of corruption in Delhi, that is Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Each and every Delhite should wish for a Kejriwal-free government, a corruption-free government,” Sachdeva said while speaking to news agency ANI.

He added, “…Kejriwal has not cared about the nation. He has just taken care of his family and his pocket which is why he has been arrested and his ministers are in jail.”

Meanwhile, BJP leader Praveen Khandelwal said, “Kejriwal is continuously violating the law. Law is the same for all. ED sent him nine summons even after that he did not consider it necessary to answer questions. Today, we have gathered here because, after the allegations against Kejriwal, he should resign. Delhi BJP has decided that we will leave no stone unturned to oust Kejriwal until he resigns.”

The BJP’s protest comes in the backdrop of AAP workers holding a protest in the national capital against the arrest of Kejriwal – who is currently in the Enforcement Directorate’s custody till March 28. The Kejriwal-led party also has plans to organise a candlelight march and effigy-burning event later in the day.

Kejriwal was arrested after his name was mentioned multiple times in the chargesheets filed by the probe agency. The ED had summoned him eight times in the case, but he did not depose before the probe agency. According to the chargesheet, all the accused in the excise policy case were in touch with the Delhi CM to formulate the excise policy that resulted in undue benefits to them in return for which they paid kickbacks to the party.

Meanwhile, Delhi minister Gopal Rai on Sunday announced that the opposition ‘INDIA’ bloc will hold a mega rally on March 31 against Kejriwal’s arrest.