On Saturday, Kiren Rijiju, a central minister, criticized Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, accusing him of damaging the discourse in Indian politics. Rijiju stated that responding to Kejriwal's comments would be a waste of time, asserting that Kejriwal's political relevance has come to an end and that he will soon be forgotten. He emphasized that Kejriwal has caused significant harm by spreading negativity and lowering the standards of political engagement. Rijiju urged the opposition to rise above such negativity and focus on constructive politics.

These comments from the central minister followed a series of posts by Kejriwal on social media, where he drew parallels between historical ruler Aurangzeb and the current political leadership, alleging misuse of central agencies against opposition leaders. In his posts, Kejriwal highlighted ongoing challenges faced by Punjab regarding water rights, university governance, and rural development funds, claiming that the people of Punjab would resist what he termed pressure tactics.

Kejriwal accused Prime Minister Modi of initiating daily raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Punjab immediately after the Bengal elections concluded. He claimed that Modi has inflicted severe damage on Punjab over the past few years, causing distress to its residents. Kejriwal pointed out that there have been attempts to seize control of Punjab's water resources and university, alongside the withholding of funds for rural development. He mentioned that Ashok Mittal's house was raided, and shortly after, he joined the BJP, suggesting that the raids were not aimed at recovering stolen money but rather at coercing Mittal into joining the BJP. He also noted that Sanjeev Arora faced a similar situation when he refused to join the BJP after a raid on his residence.

Kejriwal further referenced Aurangzeb's historical reign, stating that Punjab is the land of the Gurus. He recalled how Aurangzeb had seized parts of the country through crime and oppression, drawing a parallel to Modi's alleged actions. Kejriwal asserted that just as the Gurus faced Aurangzeb's tyranny with sacrifice, the people of Punjab would confront Modi's oppression, inspired by the Gurus' legacy. He reminded that Modi had previously challenged Punjab's farmers, who ultimately had to yield, and now the entire state faces a similar challenge.