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Shah calls bail to Kejriwal special treatment; Sarma explains 400-seat target
In an interview with the news agency ANI, Shah said the Supreme Court has a right to interpret the law but the judgement in Kejriwal’s case was not routine
Union home minister Amit Shah has called the Supreme Court’s decision of granting interim bail to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal “special treatment”. In an interview with the news agency ANI Shah said the court has a right to interpret the law, but the judgement in the case was not routine. He added that some people perceive the court order as special treatment to Kejriwal, who was in custody for over 50 days.
The Union government has denied any political vendetta in the case against Kejriwal over the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. But Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s opponents have accused it of misusing law and agencies particularly the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The opposition has cited cases against former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavita as examples of vendetta against opponents.
The Supreme Court on Monday gave ED three days to respond to Soren’s petition against his arrest in an alleged land scam, agreeing to an expedited hearing in the matter due to the ongoing general elections.
Why 400
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is a BJP star campaigner and in much demand for election rallies. On more occasions than one, his speeches have triggered controversies. He is perceived to toe a hard line. On Wednesday, Sarma hit the headlines for his explanation of why the BJP should get more than 400 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. He claimed that with a brute majority of 400 plus, the BJP will build the Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple in Mathura and the Gyanvapi Temple in Varanasi, and implement the Uniform Civil Code. He also referred to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and said its merger with India would become possible.
The BJP and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, led the campaign for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. However, the campaigns for the construction of the Krishna and the Gyanvapi temples have been subdued.
