Raids, false cases won’t deter us, Kejriwal says amid CBI searches at Sisodia’s residence

Amid CBI raid at his deputy Manish Sisodia’s residence, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the Centre of putting hurdles in his government’s path of success, while also urging citizens to help the government in making “India the world’s strongest nation” by registering their approval through a simple missed call.

“They (the central government) will trouble us. They will create roadblocks. Today, Manish Sisodia was targeted. Even in the last seven years, multiple raids and false cases have been filed against him, me, Kailash Gehlot…and AAP leaders. But this would not deter us from performing. If we leave the country to them…they would never let the country progress. We would have to come together. I am giving a number for missed call -9510001000. Whoever wants to make India the strongest nation, join the mission,” Kejriwal said at a virtual press conference on Friday.

Explainer: CBI raids Sisodia’s house; what’s the controversy on Delhi liquor policy?

The CBI on Friday morning conducted raids connected to the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 at over 10 locations including Sisodia’s residence.

Hailing Sisodia as the best education minister in the world after his name was featured on the front page of New York Times, Kejriwal said it was possible only because of the good work of the AAP government.

Delhi has made India proud. Delhi model is on the front page of the biggest newspaper of US. Manish Sisodia is the best education minister of independent India. pic.twitter.com/6erXmLB2be

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 19, 2022

Kejriwal said that on the day Sisodia was declared the best education minister, the CBI raided his house. But said there was no need to panic, he assured the public. “It is a matter of pride for the country that Manish Sisodia’s name is on the front page of the biggest newspaper of the most powerful country in the world,” he said. “In a way, he has been declared as the best education minister in the world. The biggest newspaper wrote about Delhi’s education revolution and carried Sisodia’s photograph also,” Kejriwal said.

आपके लिए आज मैं एक बहुत अच्छी ख़बर लेकर आया हूँ। सभी भारतवासियों को बधाई। https://t.co/TzDfyaXVuz

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 19, 2022

He said the last time India’s name featured in NYT was over mass deaths happening in the country due to COVID-19.

Referring to the CBI raids, the Delhi chief minister said he was not scared of such “obstacles” and there were raids against his other ministers, Kailash Gahlot and Satyendar Jain, too but nothing came out of them.

“Many obstacles will be created in our path in our mission. This is not the first raid on Sisodia; there were raids in the past too. There have been raids also on many of our ministers and me too, but nothing came out of them and nothing will come out this time as well,” he said. “There is no need to panic since there will be obstacles to stop our work. The CBI has been asked from above to harass us,” Kejriwal said.

Also read: CBI raids Manish Sisodia’s residence, other places in excise policy case

Jain is currently in judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate.

A few days ago, Kejriwal had announced a national mission to make India the number one country and issued the said phone number for people who are willing to join the mission.