You are drunk on power, Hazare tells Kejriwal

BJP using Hazare for its political gains, says Delhi CM

Social activist Anna Hazare on Tuesday wrote a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal hitting out at the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. He accused the CM of being “drunk on power”.

Mr. Hazare said it was the first time that he was writing to Mr. Kejirwal since he became the Chief Minister to remind him about his book ‘Swaraj’ which favoured liquor ban.

“You wrote several idealistic things in the book. Everyone had hopes from you, but it seems that after becoming the CM, you forgot that ideology and that is why the Delhi government came up with a new liquor policy,” Mr. Hazare said.

He added that the policy will spur corruption and is not at all in the interest of the people. “Like addiction of liquor, there is an addiction of power and it seems that you have sunk into it,” Mr. Hazare wrote.

In response to the letter, Mr. Kejriwal told the media that it was the BJP that was “using” Mr. Hazare for political gain as the CBI had found nothing in the probe involving Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

“The BJP called me a terrorist during the Punjab Assembly elections and when no one believed them they brought in Kumar Viswas. Now, they are using Anna Hazare to target my government,” Mr. Kejriwal said.

The activist said after becoming the CM, Mr. Kejriwal had forgotten about the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act. “You did not make any efforts to bring in a strong Lokayukta Act, but instead the Delhi government has brought in a policy on liquor which destroys lives of several people. This shows there is a gap between what you preach and practise,” he said.