Delhi ministers on Tuesday, 28 April launched a sharp attack on former Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal after he announced a 'Satyagraha' — invoking Mahatma Gandhi's tradition of non-violent protest — against what he described as a biased judicial process in the Delhi liquor policy corruption case. The ministers accused Kejriwal of undermining the judiciary and attempting to delay legal proceedings against him.

Kapil Mishra's Scathing Attack

Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra delivered one of the sharpest rebukes, invoking Gandhi's name to counter Kejriwal. Speaking to IANS, Mishra said, "If Gandhi ji were alive today, he would be chasing Kejriwal with a stick. A thief, a commission-seeker, a person involved in a liquor scam, is talking about Satyagraha and invoking Gandhi's name. And what moral authority does a thief have to decide who the judge will be? This doesn't happen anywhere in the world."

Mishra further alleged that Kejriwal had filed a petition in court, the verdict did not go in his favour, and he is now refusing to accept the outcome. "Kejriwal knows he is trapped — he committed corruption and is trying to delay the investigation. But in the end, he will be proven guilty and will go to jail," he added.

Other Ministers Join the Chorus

Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also hit out at the AAP leader, saying, "Now those who committed the liquor scam will do Satyagraha?" MLA Harish Khurana accused AAP of an "urban naxalite" mindset, alleging the party only accepts judicial verdicts when they favour it. "If a judge gives a verdict in their favour, then he is a great judge, and they say 'Satyamev Jayate.' But if a judge makes any remark against them, then there is no worse judge than him. Today, they are leveling allegations to show they have no faith in the justice system. This deserves the strongest condemnation possible," Khurana said.

Gandhi's Legacy Invoked Against Kejriwal

MLA Ajay Mahawar drew a pointed contrast between Gandhi's anti-alcohol stance and Kejriwal's alleged role in the liquor policy case. "Gandhi ji was strongly against alcohol. He used to say that those who fall victim to intoxication see their home and family destroyed. And this man turned the entire Delhi into a liquor shop, ran scams, and made money — and that same man is talking about Mahatma Gandhi," Mahawar said. He added, "This shameless, hypocritical man — that is why the people of Delhi have thrown him out, and Punjab is about to throw him out too."

Background: The Delhi Excise Policy Case

The remarks come amid ongoing legal proceedings related to the Delhi excise policy case, in which central agencies have alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the policy. Kejriwal, who was arrested and later granted bail in the case, has consistently denied all wrongdoing and maintained that the case is politically motivated. His recent statements and legal moves have triggered a fresh confrontation between the ruling dispensation in Delhi and the opposition, once again bringing governance, accountability, and institutional integrity into sharp political focus.

What's Next

As the matter continues to be heard in courts, the political battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Delhi government and the AAP is expected to intensify. Kejriwal's 'Satyagraha' announcement has effectively widened the fault lines, with observers noting that both sides are now fighting a perception war well ahead of any judicial verdict.