Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation for ordering a CBI raid on his office.
Launching his fiercest attack yet on the prime minister, Kejriwal told the Delhi assembly that the CBI raided his office - notwithstanding the CBI's denials - because it was looking for a file on the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).
"I demand Prime Minister Modi's resignation for the fraudulent raid he ordered to save (Finance Minister) Arun Jaitley," who had headed the DDCA for years, the Aam Aadmi Party leader said to thumping of desks by his party colleagues.
Kejriwal also asked Modi to sack Jaitley because of his involvement in the DDCA, where critics have alleged largescale financial bungling. Jaitley has claimed innocence in the entire affair.
If Jaitley was indeed innocent, he should prove this to the Commission of Inquiry set up by the Delhi government, he said.
"He should feel ashamed," Kejriwal thundered, referring to Modi and the December 15 raid by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which has denied searching Kejriwal's office and said that it only targeted his principal secretary Rajendra Kumar for corruption.
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December 15, the chief minister said, was "a black day" for India.
Kejriwal accused Modi of constantly interfering in the functioning of the AAP government.
He said he had urged Modi to let the AAP government work without interference but "he did not agree".
"The CBI said the chief minister was not raided... Only his principal secretary's office was raided. If this is indeed true, why did they enter my office?" Kejriwal asked.
He said they were looking for a file on the DDCA, and alleged that despite 50 hours of interrogation spread over six days, the CBI had not been able to build a case of corruption against Rajendra Kumar. "They are mentally torturing him."
Kejriwal poked fun at Modi for wearing a Rs.10 lakh suit last year, and demanded to know how a "chai wala" (tea seller) could afford such a costly suit.
The AAP leader denied accusations that his party had earlier advocated independence for the CBI but had now done a U turn.
"Even today we say that the CBI should be independent. And the day it becomes independent, it will not raid Rajendra Kumar... It will send a notice to Modi to ask where you got Rs.10 lakh to buy the suit.
"The CBI is not independent. Don't fool the people."