ED summons sent ‘purely as propaganda… to create sensational news’: Kejriwal in reply to agency

“On the eve of my departure for Vipassana Meditation Course which has been widely published and largely circulated all over the media in the country as well as officially announced, to my utter dismay and concern, I have received the subject summons…The timing of your summons leaves much to desire and strengthens my belief that the summons being sent to me are not based upon any objective or rational yardstick but purely as a propaganda as well as to create sensational news in the final few months of much awaited parliamentary elections in the country,” Kejriwal wrote in his response to ED.

This is the second time the ED has issued summons to Kejriwal in the case. The first summons had been issued on November 2. Kejriwal said that the agency issued the second summons without responding to the letter he wrote to them on November 2. The previous letter had called the summons a “fishing and roving” exercise and “politically motivated”.

According to Delhi government sources, Kejriwal, in his reply to the agency early on Thursday, submitted that he was ready to honour “all legal summons” but said the ones issued to him in the case, like the last time, were “politically motivated” and should be retracted.

Saying he has “lived a life of dignity, honour and with complete transparency”, Kejriwal said he has been attending the Vipassana Meditation Course for the last 25 years.

Calling himself a “conscientious law-abiding ordinary citizen”, Kejriwal said, “The fact that you have deliberately sought my appearance only in person without specifying any reason or necessity thereof when the said Act itself provides for appearance through authorised persons, is indicative of the motive to harass and embarrass me.”

On its part, the BJP accused Kejriwal of trying to “play the victim card” and said he should not blame Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ED when “strict action” was taken against him.

“For Arvind Kejriwal, Vipassana is above the law. Last time, the excuse was the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh,” Delhi BJP secretary Harish Khurana alleged. “Kejriwal sahab, now when the law assumes a strict stance towards you, don’t start claiming persecution…don’t play bechara politics then. You can run as much as you want, but you will have to answer the ED’s questions,” Khurana added.