New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday claimed that he was approached by the BJP with the offer to close all cases against him if he joined their party.

Asserting that all the allegations against him were false, Sisodia said he will never bow down before "conspirators and corrupt people".

Sisodia is among 15 people and entities named in an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi excise policy.

"I have received a message from the BJP -- Leave AAP and join BJP. We will ensure that all cases by CBI and ED against you are shut.

"My reply to BJP -- I am a descendant of Maharana Pratap and a Rajput. I am ready to get beheaded but can never bow down before conspirators and corrupt people. All the cases against me are false. Do whatever you want to do," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

The AAP leader's house was raided on Friday by the CBI over alleged corruption in the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

He has stressed that the case against him is an effort to stop the good work being done by CM Arvind Kejriwal-led dispensation and also to put obstacles in the path of the AAP chief who has emerged as an alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The Kerala Assembly on Monday paid homage to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who died last month, and described him as a unique personality, able administrator, brilliant economist, and a determined patriot.

Cutting across politics, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, Assembly Speaker A N Shamseer and other leaders hailed the contribution of Singh in various fields.

The 13th session of the 15th Kerala Assembly, which began on Friday, was adjourned on Monday after paying tribute to the former Prime Minister.

During his speech, Chief Minister Vijayan recalled that apart from being the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh was known in many capacities as an internationally renowned economist, exemplary teacher, and eminent bureaucrat, and as the country's finance minister.

There may not be another person who has held all the pivotal positions that shape India's economic policy, he said.

The CM especially mentioned about the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and the Right to Information Act launched by Singh's government.

Though the CPI(M) had some differences of opinion about certain policies of the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government, his stand for protecting constitutional values and the democratic system of the country was commendable, Vijayan further said.

Through the demise of Singh, the country had lost a gentle and determined patriot and a brilliant economist who firmly believed in secular values, he said.

Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan recalled various initiatives implemented by Singh in finding out solutions to the problems faced by common people.

He said Singh was a leader who strongly upheld the secular and democratic values and the one who had unwavering commitment and dedication towards the country.

During the address in the House, the Congress leader also said that Singh had courageously implemented the economic reforms in the country despite criticisms, and it had helped the nation progress financially.

Assembly Speaker A N Shamseer also said that the country had lost a brilliant economist and a determined statesman.

Singh's contributions to nation building as a finance minister and a Prime Minister went beyond his financial expertise, Shamseer added.

Singh, the architect of India's economic reforms, died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, on December 26 at the age of 92.