As the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carries out searches at Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's residence, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday hailed him as the best education minister in the world and that there was no need to panic.
In an apparent swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Union government, Kejriwal also said that the "CBI has been asked from above" to pursue them.
Kejriwal mentioned the recent coverage by The New York Times newspaper of Delhi's schools and said the "biggest newspaper wrote about Delhi’s education revolution".
He added, "It is a matter of pride for the country that Manish Sisodia's name is on the front page of the biggest newspaper of the most powerful country in the world. In a way, he has been declared as the best education minister in the world. The biggest newspaper wrote about Delhi’s education revolution and carried Sisodia's photograph also."
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Kejriwal said the last time India's name featured in The New York Times was over mass deaths happening in the country duto Covid-19.
Kejriwal is not the only one who appears to draw a connection between CBI action and the Aam Aadmi Party's government's appreciation by The New York Times.
"Just an observation: nothing rattles BJP supporters more than external praise for Aam Aadmi Party, such as that in The New York Times, or some success for it. This is a tiny party that runs a state and a half. Quite a compliment," said Sitaraman Shankar, Editor of Deccan Herald, on Twitter.
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Talking about the CBI raids on Friday at Sisodia’s house, Kejriwal said they are not scared and there were raids against his other ministers, Kailash Gahlot and Satyendar Jain, too but nothing came out of them.
He said, "Many obstacles will be created in our path in our mission. This is not the first raid on Sisodia. There were raids in the past too. There have been raids also on many of our ministers and me too, but nothing came out of them and nothing will come out this time as well. There is no need to panic since there will be obstacles to stop our work. The CBI has been asked from above to harass us."
Jain is currently in judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
A few days ago, Kejriwal had announced a national mission to make India the number one country. He issued a phone number for people who are willing to join the mission.
"We announced the mission to 'Make India Number One Country' in the world on Wednesday. People must join this mission by giving a missed call on 9510001000. We cannot leave the country to political parties. We have to come together," he stressed.
(With PTI inputs)
