As Opposition parties condemn arrest of Sisodia, Congress top brass silent

Apart from Sisodia and Jain, major Opposition leaders to have been jailed in various cases lodged by the investigative agencies include former Home Minister P Chidambaram, Congress’ Karnataka chief DK Shivkumar, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, former Maharashtra Home minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh, and NCP’s Nawab Mailk.

Delhi Congress chief Chaudhary, who had even approached the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing seeking a probe into the formulation and implementation of the now-withdrawn excise policy drafted by the AAP government, said: “Manish Sisodia’s arrest has validated what the Congress party and its workers have been saying. When the country was reeling under Covid, Sisodia and the Delhi CM were busy drafting a liquor policy. The leaders of the BJP were with them. But nonetheless, his arrest proves that the law is alive. Satyamev Jayate. And if the investigation is carried out with honesty, then the CM of Delhi will also be behind bars.”

Sandeep Dikshit, another Delhi Congress leader, also welcomed the arrest, saying he was surprised that it “took so long”.

However, there was at least one Congress leader who condemned the arrest. CWC member Abhishek Manu Singhvi tweeted: “God be with you Manish ji. Distressing to see such repeated, flagrant, egregious, and shameless misuse of arrest power. Sisodia cannot be flight risk, suborning evidence or witnesses or non-cooperation after almost a year of investigation and interrogation. How and why arrest after so long?”

When contacted, RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha told The Indian Express he was shocked “but not surprised” by the CBI action against Sisodia. “My own leaders have faced it,” Jha said, referring to the cases against RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his family members including Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.

“This has become the standard operating procedure for these organisations which are supposed to be following the rule book. Opposition parties also have to realise that they have to come together,” Jha said.

Trinamool Congress’ floor leader in the Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien also hit out at the BJP on the issue. “If Manish Sisodia had got himself a BJP brand of washing machine, he would never have been arrested. Bravo, Manish. Allies ShivSena, SAD, JD(U) TDP & others have all abandoned BJP. Only CBI, ED, IT remain true allies. Targeting Opposition leaders is the desperate duo’s favorite job,” he tweeted.

Another party that spoke against the arrest is BRS, which is also facing CBI heat in connection with the case. Earlier this month, the CBI arrested a former chartered accountant of BRS MLC K Kavitha, the daughter of K Chandrashekar Rao or KCR, in connection with the case. “Nation wanted ‘Modi’ to arrest ‘Adani’ & to divert everyone’s attention, he chose to arrest ,” BRS leader Y Sathish Reddy tweeted.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav extended solidarity with Sisodia. He said on Twitter: “The arrest of Manish Sisodia has proved that the BJP government has already accepted its defeat before 2024…”