In a clear sign of panic within the BJP ranks, the Modi government unleashed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Gujarat Sah-Prabhari (co-incharge) Durgesh Pathak on Thursday—an act AAP says is driven by fear of its growing influence in the Prime Minister’s home state.
As Durgesh Pathak intensifies efforts to build the party’s grassroots base, the BJP, rattled by its waning popularity and growing public anger in Gujarat, appears to be resorting to intimidation tactics. The AAP leadership has condemned the raid as part of a broader pattern of political vendetta, citing earlier instances where its leaders were jailed in fabricated cases but continued to fight undeterred.
In a press conference, senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh stated, “The BJP and Modi Government have resumed their dirty games. Prime Minister Modi and the BJP have already made every possible attempt to wipe out the AAP. They jailed our National Convenor, sent top leaders of the party to prison, filed fake cases against MLAs and MPs, and conducted raids in Punjab and Delhi. Despite all this, AAP has fought and will continue to fight under all circumstances.”
Sanjay Singh added, “Today once again, the BJP has made a vile, dirty and shameful attempt. PM Modi ji has sent the CBI to the home of AAP Political Affairs Committee (PAC) member and Gujarat Sah-Prabhari Durgesh Pathak to threaten him. The only reason behind this is that the AAP has given Durgesh Pathak the responsibility of Gujarat. Arvind Kejriwal asked him to go to Gujarat and strengthen the party’s organisation there. In the last Gujarat Assembly elections, AAP received about 14% of the vote and 5 AAP MLAs were elected.”
He continued, “As soon as Durgesh Pathak goes to Gujarat and holds meetings with the organisation, engages with workers, and tries to strengthen the party in villages, PM Modi ji sends the CBI to intimidate him. Is this their idea of politics? This is a deliberate attempt to destroy a political party within a democracy. Is this how they want to run the country? The BJP is in a weak position in Gujarat.”
“The people of Gujarat are dissatisfied with the BJP government. They are looking for a new party that speaks of politics of change. Durgesh Pathak has been given the responsibility to strengthen the AAP organisation in Gujarat, and in response, they’ve sent the CBI to threaten him,” pointed out the AAP Rajya Sabha MP.
Sanjay Singh said, “Sending the CBI to Durgesh Pathak’s house reflects PM Modi’s panic. It shows that even PM Modi’s bastion of Gujarat is no longer safe. He sees the potential of the BJP losing there. PM Modi has already made countless attempts before, and he may continue to do so—torture us as much as he wants, file as many fake cases as he wishes, invent as many false charges as he can. The AAP has never bowed down, and never will. We have fought, and we will continue to fight. We are unstoppable and unbreakable. We will keep raising our voice against the BJP with full force.”
He concluded by saying, “The case against Durgesh Pathak is politically motivated and malicious. It is entirely false and fabricated. The sole reason behind it is that he was made Gujarat Sah-Prabhari. The AAP stands firmly with Durgesh Pathak and his family. We have withstood every atrocity and injustice committed by the BJP, and we will continue to resist them.”
