New Delhi, May 7: Sacked Delhi water minister Kapil Mishra’s allegation that chief minister Arvind Kejriwal took Rs 2 crore from health minister Satyendra Jain triggered calls for the Delhi Chief Minister’s resignation.
“Kejriwal has no moral right to hold the post of Chief Minister. He must resign immediately,” Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said while hailing Mishra’s courage.
“I have said a number of times that Kejriwal is directly involved in corruption. Mishra’s allegations prove that point.”
Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken said Mishra’s claims were not mere allegations but testimony of an eyewitness warranting criminal proceedings against Kejriwal.
“The Centre, the Anti-Corruption Bureau and the CBI should immediately take action and register an FIR against Kejriwal,” he told the media.
Earlier, Kapil Mishra in an address to the media had said, “A day before yesterday, I saw Jain giving Rs 2 crore in cash to Kejriwal. Kejriwal said these things happen in politics. After having seen Jain hand over such a big amount to him, I had to come out. I have handed over the details to Lt Governor Anil Baijal,” Mishra said. “I am also ready to make a statement before the CBI or Anti Corruption Bureau if required,” the former water minister added.
Mishra said he had informed Lt Governor Anil Baijal about the issue and will provide details to the investigating agencies as well.
Mishra also accused Jain of facilitating a land deal worth Rs 50 crore for a relative of Arvind Kejriwal. “Jain himself told me about the deal,” Mishra said, adding he was sure Jain would soon be put behind the bars.
“Jain himself told me about the deal,” Mishra said, adding he was sure Jain would soon be put behind the bars.
Mishra’s charge was refuted by senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who called the allegations “unsubstantiated” and not worth commenting upon.
“The kind of allegations against Kejriwal is unsubstantiated. No one will believe them. There is no substance in this allegation,” the Delhi’s deputy chief minister said.
Mishra’s allegation have plunged the AAP into further crisis, soon after its defeat in the municipal polls. Mishra is known to be close to AAP leader Kumar Vishwas, with whom Kejriwal has forged an uneasy truce after he made critical comments of the AAP.
Mishra said many issues had been raised against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the past, including irregularities in funding during the Punjab elections, “but we always thought Kejriwalji did not have knowledge about them.
“We had faith in him and always thought he would make things right. But I cannot stay silent after what I witnessed.”
Mishra asked Kejriwal to clarify where the money came from and to apologise to people “if he committed a mistake”.
The AAP leader insisted that he would not quit the party. “I will neither quit the party nor can anyone ask me to go.”
