Why should prosecution continue when Tejashwi Yadav' has withdrawn statement, asks SC
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New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned till January 29 the hearing on Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav's petition seeking transfer of the criminal defamation complaint pending against him in a Ahmedabad court over his alleged "only Gujaratis can be thugs" remark to a place outside the state, preferably Delhi.
A bench of Justices A S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan deferred the matter after the counsel for the complainant sought time.
"Why should the prosecution continue when he has withdrawn the statement. You seek instructions otherwise we will exercise powers under Article 142," the bench said.
"The counsel for the respondent seeks time to seek instructions on statement filed by the petitioner (Yadav) on January 19. List on next Monday," the top court recorded in its order.
The top court, while hearing the RJD leader's plea, had earlier stayed the proceedings in the criminal defamation complaint and issued notice to the Gujarat resident who has filed it.
The complaint against Yadav was filed under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for alleged criminal defamation.
The Gujarat court had in August conducted a preliminary enquiry against Yadav under section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and found sufficient grounds to summon him on the complaint filed by Haresh Mehta, a local businessman and activist.
According to the complaint, Yadav, while talking to the media in Patna in March 2023, had said, "Only Gujaratis can be thugs in the present situation, and their fraud will be forgiven."
"Who will be responsible if they run away with the money belonging to the LIC or banks?" the Bihar Deputy CM had allegedly asked.
Mehta claimed Yadav's comments defamed all Gujaratis.
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Kejriwal says Delhi polls battle of two ideologies, accuses BJP of giving 'freebies to corporates'
New Delhi (PTI): AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the assembly election in Delhi was not just a contest for the national capital but the entire country.
The election pits two contrasting ideologies -- one focused on welfare of the general public and the other on benefiting a select group of wealthy individuals -- against each other, he said.
"This election is about deciding how taxpayers' money should be spent. One ideology, represented by the BJP, uses public funds to waive loans worth thousands of crores for its close associates. The other, our AAP model, focuses on providing free electricity, education, health care and transport to benefit the common man," Kejriwal said at a press conference.
Criticising the BJP-led Centre, the former Delhi chief minister alleged that it had waived debts amounting to Rs 10 lakh crore of 400-500 industrialists during the past five years.
"The BJP model gives people's money to its friends as loans and then writes off those loans in two to three years. In contrast, the AAP model provides direct benefits to the public, including welfare schemes worth nearly Rs 25,000 per month for each household in Delhi," he said.
Kejriwal also accused the saffron party of planning to end all welfare schemes initiated by AAP if it gains power in Delhi.
"The BJP has already clarified it will stop free electricity, free bus rides (for women), and other benefits provided by the Delhi government. I ask the people, will they be able to bear this cost if the BJP is elected?" he said.
Kejriwal also lashed out at the BJP for labelling welfare measures as "freebies", alleging that the saffron party was trying to create guilt among the middle class while itself offering massive concessions to big businesses.
"When the BJP waives loans worth thousands of crores for its friends, is that not a freebie?" he asked.
Elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly will be held on February 5 and the votes counted on February 8.
AAP is seeking a third consecutive term in office while the BJP is attempting to regain power in the national capital for the first time since 1998.
