Delhi LG hoists national flag on Independence Day; AAP cries 'dictatorship'

The flag was hoisted by Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena at his official residence on Independence Day on Thursday. Pic/X

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a veiled attack on the Centre after the tricolour was hoisted by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at his official residence. The flag is hoisted by the Chief Minister (CM) on Independence Day in Delhi, every year. However, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is currently in jail in the alleged excise policy scam case.

In a post on X, Kejriwal's wife Sunita wrote, "Today the tricolour was not hoisted at the CM's residence. It is very sad. This dictatorship can keep an elected Chief Minister in jail, but how can it stop the patriotism in the heart..."

Kejriwal was responding to a tweet from Delhi Minister Atishi, who said, "Let us pledge on this Independence Day that we will continue to fight against dictatorship till our last breath."

Atishi said in a post on X, "Today is Independence Day when India got freedom from British dictatorship in 1947. Hundreds of freedom fighters faced lathi-charge, went to jail and sacrificed their lives - to get us this freedom. They would not have even imagined in their dreams that one day, in independent India, an elected Chief Minister would be framed in a false case and kept in jail for months... Let us pledge on this Independence Day that we will continue to fight against dictatorship till our last breath."

She was making references to Kejriwal's arrest in connection with alleged irregularities in the now-scraped Delhi excise policy case.

Former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia also took to X and wrote, "On the anniversary of "Independence from the British", we salute the spirit that is today imprisoned in the dictator's prison to "save freedom from dictatorship."

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Kejriwal's plea seeking bail and challenging the Delhi High Court order upholding his arrest by the probe agency in a corruption case stemming from the alleged excise policy scam.

Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in connection with a money laundering probe relating to the Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

On June 26, 2024, the AAP Chief was arrested by CBI while he was in the custody of ED.

(With ANI inputs)