New Delhi [India], April 27 : Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday hit out at AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal over his remarks about not appearing before the Delhi High Court in the excise policy case following dismissal of his recusal plea and alleged that the AAP leader has "repeatedly disrespected constitutional institutions" and is an "anarchist".
He said Kejriwal wants to divert attention from internal strife within the Aam Aadmi Party.
"I have said that Kejriwal and Congress are both allies. They are the members of the INDI alliance. Whatever Congress says, Kejriwal says the same thing. By making such statements, he wants to divert the public's attention from the internal strife within Kejriwal's party. The founding members of the party (AAP), those who built it, are also leaving one by one due to Kejriwal's wrong policies," Saini told reports.
"Arvind Kejriwal has repeatedly disrespected constitutional institutions. Kejriwal also eats from the Congress party's plate. Kejriwal is not only an anarchist, but he also has no faith in the country's courts, just as the Congress party does not," he added.
Saini said Kejriwal got relief from the courts earlier and was now raising questions on the issue of recusal.
"The court itself put him in jail. The court itself released him, and now the court itself is deciding his case. So how can one court's decision be right and another's wrong? He has no faith in constitutional institutions. Just as Rahul Gandhi and the Gandhi family believe that they are above the court, Kejriwal holds the same view. If the verdict is in your favour, it's fine, if not, it's wrong. This is Kejriwal's situation. This is a manifestation of his anarchist and anti-national mentality," Saini said.
He said Kerjiwal portrayed himself as a common man and accused him of telling lies.
"Arvind Kejriwal used to portray himself as the "common man" and vowed that he would not avail himself of any luxuries or privileges; yet, he travels around in expensive vehicles. There is no greater liar than Arvind Kejriwal," Saini alleged.
Kejriwal on Monday said he will not appear before the High Court in the Delhi excise policy case, citing two reasons, including alleged bias linked to ideological associations and an alleged conflict of interest involving the judge's family members.
Delhi High Court had earlier dismissed Kejriwal's plea seeking the recusal of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma in the case.
In its ruling, the Court held that the allegations did not meet the legal threshold of a reasonable apprehension of bias and were based on conjecture rather than evidence.
In a video, Kejriwal said, "The first reason is that the government, with the ideology of the RSS, which put me in jail by making false allegations, the lady judge herself has admitted that she has frequently visited the stages of Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad, an organisation linked to that ideology. The Aam Aadmi Party and I are staunch opponents of that ideology. In such a situation, can I get justice before her?"
"The second reason is Conflict of Interest. In the court, the central government's CBI is against me, and both children of Justice Swarnkanta ji work for the central government. Both her children are on the panel of lawyers for the central government. Opposing us in court is the Solicitor General, Shri Tushar Mehta ji. Tushar Mehta ji gives cases to both children. How many cases they will get, which cases they will get, this is decided by Tushar Mehtaji," he said.
The former Delhi Chief Minister said he has full faith in the judiciary and respects it deeply, recalling that courts granted him relief in past cases.
Kejriwal also wrote a letter to Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, expressing his decision not to participate in further proceedings in the excise policy case.