As discussions about his possible entry into the Rajya Sabha continue, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is once again in the spotlight, this time for a VVIP culture row, as he travels to Punjab to attend a 10-day Vipassana meditation camp.

However, his visit has sparked controversy, with many questioning the size of his convoy. AAP MP Swati Maliwal took a sarcastic dig at him, saying that his convoy was "bigger than Donald Trump's," pointing out the contradiction between his meditation retreat and the grand security arrangements.

Kejriwal, along with his wife Sunita, will be attending the meditation camp at the Dhamma Dhaja Vipassana Centre near Hoshiarpur. The course is set to begin on Wednesday and is aimed at promoting mindfulness and self-discipline.

Accompanied by a large convoy, including over 100 Punjab Police personnel and bulletproof vehicles, Arvind Kejriwal and his wife arrived at the Forest Rest House in Chohal, about 14 km from Hoshiarpur, late Tuesday night.

On Wednesday, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal took a dig at Kejriwal, questioning why he was "so afraid of the people of Punjab who have given him so much love." "Kejriwal, who criticises VIP culture, is now moving around with a security cover bigger than Donald Trump's," she said in a tweet.

Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also criticized Kejriwal, questioning the need for such heavy security for a meditation retreat. "What kind of Vipassana requires a grand security parade funded by Punjab taxpayers?" he asked.

He further pointed out the contrast between Kejriwal’s past and present. "The man who once rode in a WagonR as a commoner now travels in a lavish convoy of bulletproof Land Cruisers, with over 100 Punjab Police commandos, jammers, and ambulances just like a VIP Maharaja," Sirsa tweeted. "If power was his test, he has failed miserably... AAP’s truth is out deception, hypocrisy, and VIP arrogance at its peak."

Meanwhile, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit also took a swipe at Kejriwal, accusing him of becoming accustomed to a "pompous and lavish lifestyle." "I have been saying for 10 years that he is greedy for power. Even when he pretended to be simple, we knew it was just an act. Now, he is so used to extravagance that he needs 100 vehicles in his convoy just to attend a meditation retreat," Dikshit remarked.

Since AAP’s crushing defeat in the Assembly polls, Kejriwal has stayed away from public appearances, focusing only on party-related activities. The former Chief Minister lost his New Delhi seat to BJP’s Parvesh Verma.
After 27 years, the BJP made a strong comeback in Delhi, winning 48 out of 70 Assembly seats. AAP, which had ruled the capital for a decade, managed to secure only 22 seats, marking the end of its dominance in the city.

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