AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday, 2 July 2026, took to X to allege that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is shielding influential individuals from accountability, citing statements attributed to BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and religious preacher Dhirendra Krishna Shastri — popularly known as Baba Bageshwar — to argue that even powerful figures are afraid to name those at the top of an alleged network.

Context

In his post, Kejriwal quoted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as having said, 'Maine munh khola toh mujhe chhodenge nahin' ('If I open my mouth, they will not spare me'). He also cited Baba Bageshwar as saying, 'Maine kuch bola toh mere upar aanch aa sakti hai' ('If I say something, I could face consequences'), in the context of alleged theft of temple offerings, or chadhawa.

Kejriwal drew a pointed conclusion from these statements: 'If such big and powerful people are afraid to name names, you can imagine how powerful the people are whom the Prime Minister is busy protecting.'

Policy Backdrop

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is a long-serving BJP leader and former president of the Wrestling Federation of India, who has faced multiple allegations over the years. Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, head of the Bageshwar Dham temple in Madhya Pradesh, periodically comments on political and social issues and commands a large religious following.

The alleged chadhawa (temple offering) theft case that Baba Bageshwar alluded to has drawn attention to the intersection of religious institutions and political accountability. Opposition parties have long argued that the BJP-led central government uses its influence to insulate politically connected individuals from scrutiny.

Stakeholders and Impact

The post directly implicates the office of the Prime Minister in shielding unnamed but allegedly powerful individuals — a charge the ruling establishment has not, as of this report, publicly responded to. Temple devotees and civil society groups tracking religious-institution governance are among those watching the chadhawa case closely.

AAP has built much of its political identity on an anti-corruption platform since its founding, and Kejriwal's framing — using statements from a BJP leader and a prominent religious figure — is designed to broaden the coalition of voices questioning accountability at the highest levels of government.

What's Next

Political observers will watch for any response from Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh or Baba Bageshwar clarifying or retracting the statements Kejriwal cited, as well as any formal parliamentary or investigative references to the alleged chadhawa theft. If either figure elaborates publicly, the controversy could escalate into a demand for a probe with opposition backing.

For AAP, the post is part of a sustained rhetorical campaign ahead of upcoming electoral cycles, positioning the party as the primary challenger to BJP on governance and accountability — a narrative arc that predates the 2024 general election and shows no sign of abating.