Why Are You Targetting My Old, Ailing Parents: Arvind Kejriwal Asks PM Modi

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday claimed that his old and ailing parents were being targeted to "break" him and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi by doing this has "crossed all limits".

Addressing a virtual press conference, Kejriwal, who is also the AAP national convener, said he has a message for Prime Minister Modi.

"I have a message and appeal for PM Modi. You arrested my MLAs but I did not break. You arrested my minister but you could not make me bow. You arrested me and I was harassed in jail," he said.

"But today you crossed all limits. To break me you targeted my old and ailing parents. My mother is suffering from multiple ailments. The day I was arrested (March 21), she had returned from hospital. My father is 85 years old and has hearing issues. Do you think my parents are guilty? Why are my parents being harassed? God will not forgive you," Mr Kejriwal, who was arrested in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case, said.

Earlier in the day, sources had said the Delhi Police may not visit Kejriwal's residence to question his parents in connection with the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal at the chief minister's residence on May 13.

On Wednesday, Mr Kejriwal had said police were going to question his old and ailing parents the next day.

Mr Kejriwal's close aide Bibhav Kumar has been arrested in the assault case.

In his first reaction on Ms Maliwal's alleged assault, Mr Kejriwal on Wednesday said he expects a fair investigation into the matter and that justice should be served in the case.

In an interview to news agency PTI, the chief minister said the matter is currently "sub-judice" and his comment might affect the proceedings.

Reacting to his comment, Ms Maliwal said irony died a thousand deaths, adding that Kejriwal has finally said that he wants a free and fair investigation into the matter.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)