Swati Maliwal Accuses Kejriwal of Political Agenda in Punjab Farmers' Crackdown
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Synopsis
On March 20 in New Delhi, Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal condemned Arvind Kejriwal's alleged political motives in the crackdown on farmers protesting at the Punjab border, accusing him of double standards and political maneuvering for electoral gain.
Key Takeaways
- Swati Maliwal criticizes Arvind Kejriwal's political motives.
- Crackdown on Punjab farmers aimed at aiding local businessmen.
- Allegations of double standards in handling farmer protests.
- Maliwal's fallout with Kejriwal stems from political differences.
- Upcoming bypoll in Ludhiana West following legislator's death.
New Delhi, March 20 (NationPress) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Thursday condemned the supposed political agenda of her estranged party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal regarding the forceful actions taken against farmers protesting on the Punjab border, charging him with exhibiting ‘double standards’.
Maliwal asserted that the crackdown was intended to placate businessmen in Ludhiana, where Kejriwal is keen on ensuring the victory of his party colleague Sanjeev Arora, a current RS member, in an upcoming Assembly by-election.
A victory in this by-election would serve as a crucial stepping stone for the AAP National Convener to secure a position in the Rajya Sabha from Punjab.
Maliwal expressed on the social media platform X, “The reason behind the violence inflicted upon the farmers during the night is not to clear the highway but to pave the way for Kejriwal ji to the Rajya Sabha! Kejriwal ji believes that by doing this, the businessmen of Ludhiana will be pleased, he will win the election, and Arora ji's Rajya Sabha seat will be freed.”
“While the farmers were protesting in Delhi, elections were looming in Punjab. At that time, to win over the farmers, Kejriwal labeled himself a sevadaar. Now, with farmers protesting in Punjab, Kejriwal has opted to suppress the agitation not through dialogue, but with force. Why this double standard?” Maliwal questioned.
The Rajya Sabha MP, who has accused Kejriwal and his former aide Bibhav Kumar of mistreating her at the former Delhi Chief Minister's residence, stated, “Choosing such a dictatorial approach over discussion is just another example of Kejriwal's wrath and desire for revenge.”
Maliwal, who was once a close associate of Kejriwal and led the Delhi Women’s Commission, has experienced a fallout with the AAP leader due to political disagreements. She has since held numerous protests against Kejriwal and has been labeled by the AAP as a BJP pawn aimed at embarrassing the party.
This outburst from the RS MP against Kejriwal coincides with the launch of the party’s campaign for the forthcoming Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll, even prior to the announcement of the voting date.
The bypoll became necessary following the death of sitting legislator Gurpreet Gogi due to accidental gunfire in January. The Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll is scheduled to occur before July 11.
The AAP currently possesses seven Rajya Sabha members from Punjab - Sandeep Pathak, Raghav Chadha, former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Ashok Mittal, environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal, industrialist Vikramjit Singh, and Arora, who has been a member of the upper house since 2022.
Previously, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa harshly criticized the Bhagwant Mann-led government, accusing it of deceiving farmers by arresting their leaders after the third round of discussions with the Centre failed to yield results the previous day.
In a significant crackdown, following the detention of multiple union leaders, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher, on Wednesday evening, the Punjab Police employed mild force to disperse the crowd gathered at the Shambhu and Khanauri protest locations on the Punjab-Haryana border.
