This Article is From Oct 13, 2012

Arvind Kejriwal released, continues protest in demand for Salman Khurshid's resignation

Arvind Kejriwal released, continues protest in demand for Salman Khurshid's resignation
New Delhi: Activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal today remained adamant in his demand for Law Minister Salman Khurshid's resignation over embezzlement allegations against his NGO in Uttar Pradesh. Immediately after he and his supporters were released today from the makeshift jail in Bawana on the outskirts of Delhi, Mr Kejriwal headed straight to central Delhi's Parliament Street, where his aides from India Against Corruption had been protesting since morning. Mr Kejriwal, who had launched his political party on October 2, spent the night in the makeshift jail with around 150 supporters after he was arrested yesterday afternoon for leading a march towards Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence.

Before being released, Mr Kejriwal used the TV cameras parked outside the makeshift jails gate to make appeal to the people. "If we are released, we will go to Parliament Street and continue our protest. We appeal to people to come and join us there," he said.

At Parliament Street, Mr Kejriwal continued his scathing attack on the union law minister, demanding his immediate resignation. "We need to have non-corrupt ministers, unlike Salman Khurshid," he said in his speech.

"We demand that Khurshid be arrested immediately and be dismissed from the government. If he remains in the council of ministers, he will destroy all the evidence that is available against him and his family, apart from coercing government officials to toe his line," Mr Kejriwal added.

The Law Minister is in the middle of a raging controversy over alleged financial malpractices by an NGO - headed by him and run by his wife, Louise - that is meant to help special-needs people in his home state of Uttar Pradesh.

NDTV has accessed a draft CAG report that points to several irregularities in the utilisation of Central grants given to the trust. According to the draft report, in 2009-10 the Central grant of Rs 71.5 lakh, which was meant for distributing aid and appliances to the differently-abled people in 17 districts of Uttar Pradesh, wasn't fully utilised, and the trust gave out wrong information. The draft also suspects fraud in the accounts of Mr Khurshid's trust.

However, Mr Khurshid's wife Louise, today denied all charges, saying, "It is not a report by the CAG. I am shocked to see somebody like Mr Kejriwal, who has been an Income Tax officer, doesn't know what a CAG report is and what is not."

However, Mr Kejriwal's India Against Corruption is showing no signs of relenting. Former IPS officer and India Against Corruption member Kiran Bedi tweeted today, "When CAG too is confirming evidence, least PM can do is appoint a Retd SC judge to look into issues allegations concerning Law Minister?"

Fresh from launching an as-yet-unnamed political party, Mr Kejriwal yesterday had marched towards the Prime Minister's residence at 7, Race Course Road but was stopped by the police who detained him along with other activists and took him to the makeshift jail at Rajiv Gandhi stadium in Bawana.

Mr Kejriwal wanted the Prime Minister to meet differently-abled people yesterday, but was refused an appointment. Sources in the Prime Minister's Office said that the request for the meeting was made on Friday morning, and that the Prime Minister had a full day.

In a late night tweet, Mr Kejriwal alleged that the police were "selectively picking up volunteers and beating them up" to "terrorise" them. "If the government thinks that they can silence us, they are mistaken. Every such incident will strengthen our resolve to fight for our country," he said.

Police, however, denied the allegations.
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Mr Kejriwal says that the Law Minister must be removed because a sting carried on a Hindi news channel earlier this week proved large-scale embezzlement of funds by his NGO. The channel claims that the NGO, which is run by Mr Khurshid's wife, forged signatures of government officials to attest that the funds were being used as intended.

Mr Khurshid has denied the charges. On Friday, he described Mr Kejriwal as a "man possessed not with any noble idea but burning ambition for which he will destroy whatever is in his path." He added that Mr Kejriwal should be aware that "the free ride is over" and that he will battle his allegations legally and on public platforms.

(With inputs from agencies)
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