Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday claimed that their leader Arvind Kejriwal had been placed under house arrest by the Delhi Police in light of today’s Bharat Bandh. The claim of Kejriwal being placed under house arrest came a day after the Uttar Pradesh Police detained former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav briefly as he staged a protest in support of farmers. No sooner did Kejriwal’s party raise the issue of his house arrest, Twitterati erupted in anger accusing the AAP leader of indulging in theatrics to gain political advantage from farmers’ protests. While others called it the BJP’s internal matter implying that Kejriwal was secretly working to further the Hindutva party’s agenda.
The AAP shared a statement from its leader, Manish Sisodia, from its official Twitter handle, “CM Kejriwal has been put under house arrest ever since he returned from Singhu Border. Entry/exit of people not being allowed. BJP is scared that the CM will take to the streets in favour of #BharatBandh and speak for farmers.”
The Delhi Police said there was no truth in the AAP’s claims of Kejriwal being placed under house arrest. It tweeted, “This claim of CM Delhi being put on house arrest is incorrect. He exercises his right to free movement within the law of the land. A picture of the house entrance says it all.”
This claim of CM Delhi being put on house arrest is incorrect. He exercises his right to free movement within the law of the land. A picture of the house entrance says it all.@DelhiPolice @LtGovDelhi pic.twitter.com/NCWBB9phDS
— DCP North Delhi (@DcpNorthDelhi) December 8, 2020
Many detected political opportunism in the AAP’s claims Others advised that the extraordinary fight by farmers must not be converted into a personal political battle. Here’s how they reacted;
Kejriwal’s house arrest is BJP’s internal matter. It has nothing to do with farmers agitation.
— Raju Parulekar (@rajuparulekar) December 8, 2020
The Kashmir model, which the Delhi CM was only too happy to support then, now comes to Delhi https://t.co/zZcMYYYUYX
— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) December 8, 2020
Can @ArvindKejriwal stop his drama just for today & let the focus be on farmers and #BharatBandh?
A detention is not “house arrest”. Even Akhilesh Yadav was detained yesterday but we didn’t see him doing drama over it.
Pls stop this tamasha & let the real issues be highlighted.
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) December 8, 2020
Today is the one day that is about farmers who are braving the cold, a pandemic, vindictive govt action, water cannons, tear gas, lathicharge for their rights. Don’t make it about yourself.
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) December 8, 2020
Kejriwal had visited the Delhi-Haryana border to meet the protesting farmers. He has come under condemnation for double-standards on the issue since his government had notified one of the laws that farmers are opposing and want it withdrawn.
