TNI Bureau: In a war words between Anti-graft activist Arvind Kejriwal and Law Minister Salman Khurshid set to intensify more as Kejriwal has produced more proof against Khurshid.
Kejriwal claimed that the photos of the camp shown by Khurshid were false as they were of the period 2010-11 whereas the allegations against Khurshid’s trust are for the period 2009-10. Accusing Khurshid of lying, Kejriwal said that those beneficiaries shown by Khurshid were not listed.
Kejriwal also alleged that forged signatures of scores of officers have been used for the benefit of the Tust, which includes former special secretary of UP government Ram Raj Singh, and former CDO JB Singh.
Kejriwal further says that Congress too is involved with Khurshid in the scam. He further alleges a direct quid pro quo between Samajwadi Party (SP) and Salman Khurshid. He says that the UP government will save Khurshid as he is fighting the case of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav in a disproportionate assets case.
Kejriwal demands SIT probe under three retired SC judges into the allegations that Khurshid’s NGO siphoned off money meant for disabled.
Earlier, at the one-and-a-half hour-long press conference, the Law Minister said that he and his wife are ready for “any inquiry by any authority.” “It can be CAG…Inquiry should find out who is responsible for this. But the inquiry should cover the role of India Today group as well,” he reiterated.
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The Minister’s wife and Director of the NGO, Louise Khurshid, had described the charges as baseless innuendos and accused the activist of doing politics using the shoulders of the disabled. Mr Khursid, however, said that he would file a defamation suit against the media group.
Alleging that Salman Khurshid did not reply to their questions on the Trust controversy, Arvind Kejriwal has said they will field a disabled person against the Law Minister in the next polls if the Prime Minister feels that he need not resign.
Stepping up its attack against Arvind Kejriwal, Congress party charged the activist with trying to gain cheap popularity by levelling charges against Law Min Salman Khurshid in connection with a family-run trust.
“This is cheap popularity. He does not know what democracy, parliamentary procedures is. He wants popularity and is using the media for this,” Congress leader and Minister of State in the PMO, V Narayansamy said in Chennai. He also charged Kejrival with furnishing bogus account regarding the money collected for veteran activist Anna Hazare’s fast in Delhi demanding Lokpal.
The Centre and the Government continue to stand by Khurshid. I&B Minister Ambika Soni,&I MoS in the PMO Narayanasamy and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh have defended him. The party has said that there is no question of Khurshid stepping down as it feels his resignation would only strengthen Kejriwal’s campaign and set a precedent in case he names other Congress ministers in future.
The BJP, however, breaking its silence on the matter, demanded a fair probe into the allegations.