Tomar's arrest to settle political score: Somnath Bharti

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Press Trust of India Kochi
Last Updated : Jun 09 2015 | 4:07 PM IST
Condemning the arrest of Delhi Law Minister and party colleague Jitendra Singh Tomar, AAP MLA Somnath Bharti today accused police and Lt Governor Najeeb Jung of working under the "evil" direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to settle political score.
"...In Delhi, Delhi Police and Lt governor... Both are working under evil direction of Narendra Modi... They are using state instruments to settle political score," he alleged while responding to reporters' queries on the arrest of Tomar on charges of cheating and fraud in obtaining his law degree.
The former Delhi Law Minister said the police did not even wait for the Delhi High Court verdict on the issue and arrested Tomar "at the behest of BJP to settle political score."
"When the matter is before High Court for adjudication, I don't think police were right to register an FIR and go to the extent of arresting... This is unheard of...," he claimed.
He equated the arrest with the situation prevailing during emergency period.
"Democratically defeated BJP is misusing administration to settle political score," alleged Bharti, who is here as part of his tour of southern states to strengthen party organisation.
Attacking the NDA Government, he questioned the appointment of Smriti Irani as Human Resources Development Minister.
"Smriti Irani who is just a 12th pass" has been made HRD Minister of the country. "She had made claims that she was graduate...Then she said I was in first year...Then she said I was into a correspondence school. What a mockery...," he said.
Asked whether Tomar would be removed from the post, Bharti said: "Why will he be removed? Let's see what is party decide. .... This party is full of honest people. They will decide what to do."
The arrest of 49-year-old Tomar, a first time minister, comes in the midst of a running battle between the AAP government and the L-G over the powers of the city government, giving it a new political twist.
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First Published: Jun 09 2015 | 4:07 PM IST

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