- By VK Shukla
- Tue, 13 Aug 2024 11:15 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has recently been released on bail in the excise policy case. Soon after walking out of the jail after 17 months, he has started preparing for the upcoming assembly elections. His release brings relief to the party ahead of the election, and at the time when Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and former Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain are lodged in the jail.
Dainik Jagran's chief correspondent VK Shukla had a detailed conversation with Manish Sisodia about the functioning of the Delhi government after he went to jail, the party's upcoming plans and preparations for the assembly elections. Here are the main excerpts from this conversation.
Excerpts from the interview:
Que: How does it feel to be back home with your family after 17 months?
Ans: I am feeling good. I have come out of jail after 17 months, so I am realising what freedom is. When you come out of jail, you are free, the police is not watching you. You can go for a walk, you can sit with your people. You can do your work. Being free is a human need.
Que: Yesterday, you had a meeting with senior leaders. How was the meeting and what are the future plans?
Ans: The entire leadership of the party is in election mood. Everyone is serious about the elections and is busy in their work. Yesterday, there was a discussion on the strategy for the elections. I will also do a padyatra (foot march) in Delhi and meet people. I am also busy with party work.
Que: Since you and the CM, both were in jail, so have the new policies of the party been launched?
Ans: See, the government makes a lot of policies. A lot of work has been done, including some new schemes. Yes, the work of developing the markets has not been done, but the government's work is being stopped, which has caused some hindrance. The money of the water board and other departments has been stopped.
The functioning of the Delhi government has been affected to a great extent due to the Chief Minister being in jail. Meanwhile, the distance between the Delhi government and the officials has also increased.
Que: How do you see this and what solution do you have for it?
Ans: We will have to accept one thing that BJP has done the most unconstitutional work regarding Delhi. The constitution says that a government should be elected in Delhi, the elected government should work. It should appoint officers and get them to work, but they have implemented a law that LG will appoint officers, he will appoint them and transfer them. They have murdered democracy. If democracy is murdered, then its splashes will definitely fall on the people. When democracy was murdered, our ministers and officers got upset.
This is not a fight between the ministers and officers of the Delhi government, this is not even a fight between the Delhi government and LG. This is the result of the murder of democracy. When democracy is murdered, the public will be troubled. It will affect the work of ministers and officers. Both ministers and officers are good, but both are suffering.
Que: BJP says that the AAP government did not do any work in the last four and a half years? What will you say?
Ans: BJP has done nothing except obstructing the work of Kejriwal government. Apart from killing the Constitution, they have done nothing. Even in such a time of crisis, i.e. in adverse circumstances, a lot of work has been done in Delhi. During this period, 20 new schools have been built. 14 schools of excellence have opened, when Delhi government's Army School started, eight children passed NDA for the first time. All of them are children of poor families. Three new hospitals have been built, three thousand new beds have come. In one year, two crore people have got treatment in Mohalla Clinics. At present, Delhi government has the highest number of buses in the history of Delhi. Nearly, eight thousand buses have been arranged and 2,500 more are coming in six to seven months. About 10 and a half thousand buses will be available by 2025. In such a situation, the public will answer BJP.
Que: On which issues will the Delhi Assembly elections be fought? With which issues will the Aam Aadmi Party go to the public in the elections? Will there be an alliance with Congress?
Ans: Delhi assembly elections will be fought on the issue of development. I have just told you that despite all the obstacles, the Delhi government has done a lot of work. The people of Delhi are seeing all this. Our government has done a lot of work in its previous tenures as well. A lot of work has been done in health and education sectors. The government has brought about a change in the lives of the people. As far as the alliance is concerned, it will be based on issues.
Que: What will be your responsibility in the Delhi Assembly elections? Will you be the CM face?
Ans: No force can keep Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in jail for long. He will be coming out of jail very soon. We all have gathered for his party's work. As far as the CM face is concerned, Arvind ji will soon be out of jail, elections will be fought on his face. I am proud of the unity of the workers. Despite CM Kejriwal being lodged in jail, neither the party nor the workers have fallen apart. This was a difficult time, which will pass. I have come out, Arvind ji will also come out soon. We will make Arvind Kejriwal the CM again.
Que: The plan to give Rs 1000 per month to women has not been implemented yet. When will women start getting its benefits?
Ans: This scheme will definitely start, whatever Arvind ji has said has been done, this will also be done. We are waiting for him to come out of jail. He will come out soon and this will be implemented.
Que: The opposition, mainly the BJP, has been constantly attacking the AAP government over the excise scam. How will you overcome this challenge in the assembly elections? What strategy do you have to blunt the opposition's attack?
Ans: The public knows everything that there is no proof and no money has been recovered, they just made a fake case and sent us to jail by getting us notices from ED. I am thankful to the Supreme Court that it caught the case that BJP has taken 60 crore rupees from electoral bonds in the liquor scam. Now if there has been a liquor scam, then BJP has done it. BJP people should be put in jail. In the next elections, the public will ask BJP from whom did BJP take the donation of 60 crores.
Que: Do you believe that due to the CM and you being accused in the excise scam, the image of the AAP government has been affected among the people of Delhi and there will be some difficulty in the assembly elections this time?
Ans: There has been no impact on our, CM's and the party's image. The people of Delhi are seeing that the government has built hospitals, mohalla clinics, schools and other works. They accuse us of corruption in all of them, but nothing comes out of it. They only stop work, they don't let it happen. This harms the public. If they don't let the public's work happen, then the public is seeing all this, the public will answer them. Their game is only till we don't get bail, then they will not see anything else.
Que: On Independence Day, the Chief Minister had written a letter giving the responsibility of flag hoisting at the state function to Cabinet Minister Atishi on behalf of the Delhi Government. The Lieutenant Governor's Secretariat is denying receiving any such letter. In such a situation, what will be the solution to this issue?
Ans: You should ask LG why the letter written by CM has not reached LG. Where is the letter? The matter is about flag hoisting on August 15, will the LG find out about this or not. Does he have anything to do with democracy, Independence Day or will he keep ruining Delhi just to satisfy his political enmity.
Que: What role will CM's wife Sunita Kejriwal have in the party now?
Ans: Sunita Kejriwal is an educated woman, she has been an IRS officer. After Arvind Kejriwal went to jail, she has conveyed his message to the public in a better way. When Arvind ji comes out, I don't think he will need to remain politically active like this.
Que: You have been in jail for about one and a half years, what ideas have you brought back from there?
Ans: See, jail is jail, the darkness there will surely trouble you. You either break down there or come out stronger. I read 300 books there, focused on spirituality. I am the same even today or you can say that I have come out stronger.