'Badi Bottle Dikhai Padegi’: Amit Shah On Why Kejriwal's Campaign Won't Benefit AAP Amid Liquorgate Row

Union Home Minister Amit Shah suggested that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s campaign for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) or the opposition’s INDIA bloc during the Lok Sabha Election 2024 would not bear fruits as people will remember the ‘scam’ and his association with the alleged liquor policy case whenever they see him.

“As a voter, I think wherever he’ll go for the poll campaign, the people will remember the liquor scam, even in Punjab. Kayi logon ko toh badi bottle dikhai padegi (many people will see big bottles in front of them when they see Kejriwal),” Shah told news agency ANI during an interview.

The Union Minister said this while responding to a question about whether the INDIA bloc could benefit from the Supreme Court’s decision to grant interim bail to Kejriwal till June 1 for campaigning during Lok Sabha election 2024.

“I don’t want to comment on the SC’s verdict. But the way the leaders of AAP are claiming the court’s decision as Kejriwal’s victory, I want to explain this. What was their plea before the SC? They said that his arrest was illegal but the apex court dismissed it. Then they modified their plea and asked for bail; the court rejected that too. The Supreme Court said that as per your demand to campaign in elections, we are giving you interim bail and you have to surrender on June 1,” he said further.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also lashed out at Kejriwal for his “won’t have to go to jail if you vote for me” remark and said that there can be “no bigger contempt of the Supreme Court than this”.

“I believe this is a wrong comment on the functioning of the Supreme Court… There is no bigger contempt of the Supreme Court than this… Now, the judges who pronounced the judgement have to see if their judgement is used or misused,” Amit Shah said.

“Will the Supreme Court decide the crime based on victory or defeat?” Shah further asked.

Since his release from jail, the Delhi Chief Minister, on several occasions during campaigning, urged people to vote for AAP and the INDIA bloc if they don’t want him to return to jail.

The Supreme Court on May 10 granted interim bail to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal in the alleged money laundering case linked to Delhi’s excise policy. As per the court order, the bail is applicable till June 1 and Kejriwal has to surrender to the jail authorities on June 2. However, the result of the polls will be declared on June 4.

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