BJP has initiated 'Operation Jhaadu' to crush AAP, says Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: In a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday that the BJP has initiated 'Operation Jhaddu' to crush AAP, adding that the BJP plans to arrest all the big leaders of his party. The statement by the Delhi CM was made at DDU Marg in the national capital before his planned protest march towards the BJP headquarters on Sunday. All the top brass of AAP were present at the rally.

"BJP has started 'Operation Jhaadu' so that we don't grow big and become a challenge to them. Through 'Operation Jhaadu', AAP's big leaders will be arrested; they are being arrested, and in the coming days, AAP's bank accounts will be frozen," said Kejriwal. It is pertinent to note that Kejriwal's strong statement against the ruling BJP comes a day after his former PA, Bibhav Kumar's arrest in connection with the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. During his address, Kejriwal further said that the BJP is conspiring to freeze the bank accounts of AAP leaders once the 2024 general elections are over.

"ED's lawyer has already given this statement in court that soon after the election, AAP's bank accounts will be frozen. He said that if they freeze our account now, we will get sympathy. After the election, they will freeze our accounts, our office will be cleared out, and we will be brought to the streets. These are the 3 plans made by the BJP," said Kejriwal. The Chief Minister said that no gold or money has been recovered from him, and the BJP, by creating false cases, got AAP leaders arrested.

"Since I came to power in 2015, how many allegations did they (BJP) raise? Now that they say that the liquor policy scam has happened, people are asking them if the scam happened and where the money is. In other places, when raids happen, notes and gold are recovered, but here nothing was found. Where is all the money? They (BJP) made fake cases and arrested our people," Kejriwal pointed out. Meanwhile, in connection with the assault case, Bibhav Kumar was produced before Delhi's Tis Hazari Court, which remanded him in police custody for five days.

The former aide of the AAP supremo earlier emailed the Delhi Police, stating that he was ready to cooperate in the ongoing probe into Maliwal's assault claim while adding that they should also take cognizance of his complaint. Bibhav lodged a counter-complaint with the police earlier, accusing Maliwal of gaining 'unauthorised entry' into the CM's Civil Lines residence and 'verbally abusing' him. In his complaint, Kejriwal's former PA charged the AAP MP with unauthorised entry, verbal abuse, and threats while also claiming the BJP's involvement in the matter. Maliwal, in her complaint, alleged that Bibhav "slapped" her "at least seven to eight times" while she "continued screaming" and "brutally dragged" her while "kicking" her in her "chest, stomach, and pelvis area."

Notably, the Vigilance Department had last month terminated Bibhav's service as Kejriwal's PA over a pending criminal case. Meanwhile, Delhi Police on Sunday detained several workers of the ruling party as they marched towards the BJP headquarters in the national capital as part of a planned 'Jail Bharo' protest.