‘Go to temple, seek blessing for me’: Kejriwal’s wife reads his message from jail

Sunita Kejriwal read out her husband’s message from jail in a video from the Delhi CM’s residence, with the same background used by Kejriwal during various press conferences

Jailed Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal on Saturday read out an emotional message from her husband urging people to visit temples and seek blessings for him and vowing that he will come out soon.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal reads out his message from jail in a video released on Saturday. (PTI)

In a video message from the Delhi CM’s residence, with the same background used by Kejriwal during various press conferences (the national flag and the portraits of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and the architect of Indian Constitution BR Ambedkar), Sunita said, “Namaskar, my name is Sunita Kejriwal. I am the wife of Arvind Kejriwal. Your son and your bother, Arvind Kejriwal, has sent a message for you from the jail.”

On Friday, she had slammed PM Narendra Modi in a post on X, saying that Kejriwal’s life is dedicated to the country whether he is inside or outside the jail.

In the video, she read out the message from Kejriwal with her voice filled with emotion: “My beloved countrymen. I was arrested yesterday. I will continue to serve the county whether I am inside or outside. Every second of my life and every slice of my body is dedicated to the country. I was born for struggle. I have had a lot of struggles till now, and in the future too I will face many struggles which is why this arrest does not startle me. I got a lot of love from you. I must have done much good work in my last life that I was born in a great country like India. Together we need to make India great again, the most powerful and number one country in the world. Multiple internal and external forces are weakening India. We need to be careful and identify such powers and defeat them. There are many forces in India which are patriots and want to push India on the path of progress. We need to connect with such forces and strengthen them.”

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) got six days of remand of Kejriwal a day after the agency arrested him on Thursday for his alleged role in the irregularities in the now-scrapped 2021-22 Delhi excise policy. The arrest came after the Delhi high court turned down Kejriwal’s plea for interim protection.

The message also included the recent promise of the Delhi government to provide ₹1,000 monthly financial assistance to all adult women of the city which is considered a major poll promise ahead of the May 2024 Lok Sabha election.

“My mothers and sisters of Delhi may be thinking whether they will get ₹1,000 per month financial assistance because Kejriwal is now in jail. I want to appeal to all of them to have trust in me. No jail can keep your son inside for many days. I will soon come out and fulfil my promise. Have I ever not kept my promise? Your son, your brother is made of steel. He is very strong. I just request you to go to temple and seek blessings for me. The blessings of millions of people are with me, that is my strength. I want to appeal to all AAP workers to not let the public welfare work suffer because I have been put in jail. Do not hate the people of BJP. They are our sisters and brothers. I will soon come back. Yours, Arvind. Jai Hind!” she concluded by folding her hands.

Delhi ministers and AAP leaders have clarified that Arvind Kejriwal will continue to hold the position of the chief minister of Delhi and will run the government from inside the jail. Months before his arrest, the AAP had run campaigns in Delhi asking people whether Kejriwal should quit or continue as CM in case he is arrested. AAP leaders later claimed that the people have said that Kejriwal should continue to be the Delhi CM.

On Friday, Sunita came out in support of the Delhi CM and made an emotional appeal to the people of Delhi. “In arrogance of power Modiji (PM Narendra Modi) got your thrice-elected chief minister arrested. He is trying to crush everyone. This is a betrayal of the people of Delhi. Your chief minister has always stood with you. Whether inside or outside, his life is dedicated to the country. The public knows everything. Jai Hind,” she said in a post on X.