Tag Archives: reactions

Kejriwal, Sisodia absolved by Delhi Court in liquor case, Kejriwal in Tears; Complete List of Discharged

Posted on by
Reply

On Friday, a court in Delhi ruled that there are no charges against former Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, his former deputy Manish Sisodia and 21 other individuals accused in the Delhi excise policy scandal. The decision condemned the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and cast doubt at the way the case was conducted.

Special Judge Jitender Singh of the Rouse Avenue Court held that no conspiracy or criminal intent went into the excise policy and that the case brought before the prosecution was mere guesswork. There were no charges the judge made against the 23 accused.

The judge was clear. He claimed that the investigation of the CBI was very problematic. The indictment was very long and had numerous holes and failed to correspond with the accounts given by witnesses. A large portion of it was deceptive and unsubstantiated.

On Kejriwal in particular, the court ruled that there was no concrete evidence that he had done it. According to the judge, it is incorrect to accuse a person in a constitutional position without sufficient evidence, which is against the rule of law.

Sisodia 530 Days in Jail For Nothing

The longest serving jailer, Manish Sisodia, was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023 and by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 9, 2023. It took him 530 days in jail when the Supreme Court released him on bail in August 2024.

The court did not get anything to demonstrate that Sisodia was involved in the creation or execution of the excise policy. He did not spend any money on the government. According to the judge, the CBI was not even in a position to construct a simple case against him.

The court as well directed a departmental inquiry of the work of CBI officer due to errors committed in the course of investigation. This is a big warning that demonstrates that the judge is concerned not only with this particular case.

Kejriwal Melts Down: ‘Truth Has Triumphed’

Kejriwal was also emotional in talking to reporters outside the court. He added that the court had dismissed any form of charges leveled against him and his party. He said the truth wins. He alleged that BJP had plotted against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and had arrested the 5 top leaders of the party.

“For the past few years, the way BJP has been accusing us in the Delhi excise policy case, today the court has rejected all the allegations levelled against us. We have always said that the truth wins. PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah conspired against AAP and arrested the party’s five biggest leaders. They wanted to finish AAP. A sitting chief minister was arrested. This had never happened in India,” he said, as reported by PTI.

He continued: “We were accused and called corrupt in every channel. Kejriwal is not corrupt. I have only earned honesty. The court has said today that Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and AAP are honest. Court order proves Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party are kattar imaandar [dead honest].”

Before being granted bail by the Supreme Court on September 13, 2024, Kejriwal had spent 56 days in custody.

The government of Delhi adopted a new excise policy in 2021. It assured an increase in revenue and increase in participation of the private in the sale of liquor. The policy was subsequently revoked following complaints by individuals that it had irregularities. The CBI was then investigating on the request of Lt. Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena.

The ED and the CBI reported that the policy was established to assist a group of private consumers known as the South Group. According to them, AAP leadership received kickbacks, and the people money was lost. All the accused have refuted these claims.

Complete List of the Discharged

Other names that were exonerated with Kejriwal and Sisodia included Kuldeep Singh, Narender Singh, Vijay Nair, Abhishek Boinpally, Arun Pillai, Mootha Gautam, Sameer Mahendru, Amandeep Singh Dhall, Arjun Pandey, Butchibabu Gorantla, Rajesh Joshi, Damodar Prasad Sharma, Prince Kumar, Arvind Kumar Singh, Chanpreet Singh, K. Kavitha, Durgesh Pathak

What Happens Next?

The CBI will probably petition in the High Court of the discharge order. This implies that the battle against the law might not be over despite the decision in the court Friday. This ruling is a milestone to the AAP. Arrests and trials that took three years, five top leaders in the jail, a chief minister in jail all overturned by a court that discovered the evidence as unconvincing. Whether this will be the end of the case or the case will be taken to a superior court is yet to be determined.

‘Very Disappointing, No Relief For Ordinary People’: Opposition Slams Union Budget 2026

Posted on by
Reply

Opposition parties mounted a sharp attack on the Union Budget 2026 on Sunday, accusing the government of failing to address the concerns of ordinary citizens, farmers, unemployed youth and small businesses, even as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive Budget in Parliament.

Leaders across parties said the Budget lacked concrete relief measures, ignored key states and sectors, and prioritised headline announcements over tackling deeper economic challenges.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the Budget speech made no reference to Kerala, calling it disappointing though he noted that finer details would emerge once the documents were studied. “The speech itself contains very few details that are actually necessary,” he said.

Another Congress MP, Ujjwal Raman Singh, said the Budget lacked the energy required to revive confidence. “Farmers, unemployed youth and even large states like Uttar Pradesh have been neglected. People expected announcements for regions like Prayagraj, but there was nothing,” he said, alleging that several schemes appeared skewed towards election-bound states.

Congress leaders air opposition

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said the Budget offered little to vulnerable sections. “There is nothing here for the poor, farmers or women. It is buried under slogans about a developed India by 2047,” he said.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jebi Mather echoed concerns over Kerala’s exclusion, saying the state had hoped for specific initiatives, including high-speed rail projects. “Kerala has once again been ignored,” she said.

Congress MP Shashikant Senthil described the Budget as lacking policy direction. “There is nothing that stands out as a major decision. There is nothing substantial for common citizens, farmers or MSMEs,” he said.

Raising broader economic concerns, former Union Minister Manish Tewari said structural issues remained unaddressed. “Nominal GDP growth has weakened, tax buoyancy is poor and private investment is not picking up. Increased public capital expenditure only highlights the lack of private investment momentum,” he said, adding that foreign direct investment was also slowing.

Congress MP Imran Masood criticised the absence of export-related relief, particularly for regions affected by global tariffs. “Exports have collapsed in places like Moradabad and Saharanpur, but there is no support for exporters,” he said.

SP slams Budget as ‘Disappointing’

Leaders from other opposition parties also voiced dissatisfaction. Aam Aadmi Party MP Malwinder Singh Kang said Punjab and Haryana had been overlooked in tourism and expressway projects, while inflation relief was missing. “The poor have received nothing from this Budget,” he said.

Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Kumar Rai called the Budget confusing and disappointing, alleging it favoured a few corporate houses. His party colleague Neeraj Kushwaha Maurya said farmers and large states had been ignored, adding that welfare schemes such as MGNREGA had not received adequate support.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the Budget fell short at a time of global economic uncertainty. “Exporters are suffering, common people have received nothing, and markets reacted negatively. A truly visionary Budget would have inspired confidence,” she said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey said the Budget failed to deliver fresh ideas. “There was no tax relief, no meaningful push for jobs or startups. It does not bring happiness to ordinary people,” he said.

The Opposition said it would examine the detailed Budget documents in the coming days but maintained that the initial presentation failed to inspire confidence or address pressing economic anxieties facing households and businesses.

Hindus in UK, US, Canada upbeat Over India’s Citizenship Amendment Act, Call it Human Rights Win

Posted on by
Reply

Now that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has been implemented to offer Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities, reactions from all over the world are pouring in. A “big win for human rights”, say Hindu organisations across the US, the UK, and Canada, hailing the announcement of the Indian government.

The move was lauded by international advocacy groups. The India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a key promise of the ruling BJP’s 2019 electoral agenda, has drawn praise for its provisions to grant citizenship to persecuted religious minorities from neighboring countries.

The Hindu Forum Canada commended the Indian government’s decision, emphasizing India’s commitment to international human rights obligations. The group expressed hope for similar measures in Pakistan and Bangladesh to promote harmony among Indian nationals.

Likewise, the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) hailed the CAA as a victory for human rights, stressing its positive impact on persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. CoHNA clarified that the act does not affect existing Indian citizens of any faith but expedites citizenship for approximately 31,000 religious minorities facing persecution.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah 

Highlighting the plight of minority communities in Pakistan, CoHNA cited instances of forced conversions and kidnappings, driving families to seek refuge in India. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the necessity of CAA to protect vulnerable refugees and uphold human rights.

Comparing the CAA to the Lautenberg Amendment in the US, HAF’s Executive Director Suhag Shukla praised both countries for extending support to persecuted individuals based on their religion.

Similarly, a London-based Hindu advocacy group praised India’s dedication to religious freedom and equality, emphasizing its secular values.

Despite widespread support, the enactment of CAA in December 2019 faced opposition from Muslim communities and political parties, alleging discrimination.