New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS): Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party on Friday reacted joyously to the Supreme Court granting him bail, terming it the "victory of truth" and some other INDIA bloc allies also welcomed the decision, though the Congress was guarded in its response.
Several AAP leaders took to social media to welcome the release of their party leader, who spent almost six months behind bars, save a brief respite when the apex court had granted him bail to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections.
AAP MP Raghav Chadha posted on X: "Welcome back Arvind Kejriwal, we missed you!"
"Truth can be troubled but not defeated! Finally, the Honourable Supreme Court has decided to release Delhi's son Arvind Kejriwal from jail. Thanks to the Honourable Supreme Court!"
He also said that now Kejriwal could engage in the campaign for the October 5 Haryana Assembly elections.
Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also obtained bail recently from the apex court, commented: "Satyameva Jayate. Prison locks are broken by truth. Today, once again, the truth has won against lies and conspiracies. I pay tribute to Baba Saheb Ambedkar ji, who 75 years ago had empowered the common man against any future dictator."
Delhi Minister Atishi also shared, "Satyamev Jayate. Truth can be troubled, not defeated."
Senior party leader Sanjay Singh posted, "Dictatorship will not work in democracy. Modi's tyrannical rule could not break the spirit of @ArvindKejriwal. The prison locks were broken and @ArvindKejriwal was released. The mountain of lies is falling; ED, CBI, and BJP's false cases have been exposed. Satyamev Jayate!"
Actor-turned-Trinamool Congress MP Shatrughan Sinha also welcomed bail to Kejriwal. "Truth has finally Prevailed! Better late than never. Grand Welcome! For our dear friend, leader of the masses, CM, Delhi @ArvindKejriwal as he walks out after the hon'ble SC finally grants him bail. 'Politics' & people need & deserve Kejriwal. Jai Hind!" he said on X.
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav commented that Kejriwal's bail is a "victory of the Constitution." He added, "Those who oppose the Constitution misuse it. Justice is always served at the door of the courts. The world has always followed this tradition and will continue to do so."
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha welcomed the Supreme Court's decision: "Satyamev Jayate! We welcome the decision to grant bail to Delhi Chief Minister @ArvindKejriwal. Thank you to the Hon'ble Supreme Court for granting bail to the popular Chief Minister!"
The Trinamool Congress, citing a comment by the Supreme Court bench which granted bail, remarked, "CBI SHOULDN'T BE A CAGED PARROT – This is what the Hon'ble SC judge said about the unjustified arrest of @ArvindKejriwal. The indictment of CBI misuse cannot be ignored, especially when the CBI delays justice in other cases and BJP politicizes tragedies".
The Congress, which faces the AAP too in the Haryana elections after talks for a seat-sharing agreement did not fructify, did not comment directly on Kejriwal's bail but welcomed some of the court's observations.
The party also said that Kejriwal's presence will not be a factor in the Haryana polls.
Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa said: "Bail and elections are two different things. It's just a court procedure. The government took action and jailed him. Now, like any Indian citizen, he went to court, and the court granted him bail. This has nothing to do with the Haryana elections; it’s a separate issue. His bail will not significantly impact the Haryana polls."
However, he noted that the observations the court made were "very serious".
"My humble request to the court is to be a little more proactive and timely. Whether today's Supreme Court observation will affect them or not, time will tell." said the Congress leader, in a reference to the BJP-led Central government.
"If the court intervenes immediately and is proactive, the misuse of all their agencies will be stopped completely," he said, citing the "caged parrot" remark of the SC bench that granted Kejriwal bail.