New Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal’s Indian Against Corruption (IAC) has “dubious” foreign funding and his allegations against BJP President Nitin Gadkari were at the behest of his “masters”, party mouthpiece ‘Kamal Sandesh’ has alleged, a charge rejected by the social activist.
The editorial of the latest edition of Kamal Sandesh has alleged that Mr. Kejriwal has taken a “supari (contract)” from foreign sources and demanded that the Manmohan Singh government investigate the matter.
“After ruining the Anna Andolan and in pursuit of its naked ambition, Team Kejriwal is involved in a conspiracy to create suspicion about ‘democracy’ and by doing so it is definitely playing into the hands of those who have no attachment either to India or Bharat Mata,” the article said.
Mr. Kejriwal had recently alleged that Mr. Gadkari’s Purti Group has bought farmers’ land at cheap rates from the government and also got irrigation water from the dam in Gosikhurd area of Vidarbha diverted to his sugar factory.
“The main game of Mr. Kejriwal may be related to funding. The thing to be known is whether the funds belong to India or to the forces which want to weaken the country,” the publication said.
The editorial alleged that Mr. Kejriwal had distorted Mr. Gadkari’s words in his bid to earn respect by highlighting the shortcomings of others.
“One who could not remain loyal to Anna, how can he be loyal to the nation? He is engaged in digging holes in democracy with the help of foreign funds. Mr. Kejriwal has perhaps forgotten that democracy is deeply entrenched in the soul and body of the nation,” it said.
Mr. Kejriwal has refuted these allegations and asked the BJP to come clean on its funding in the last ten years.
“They have said we are being foreign funded. The list of all the donors to this movement is on our website. I challenge BJP, if they have the guts and courage, let BJP put the list of all the donors to the party for the last ten years,” he said.
Mr. Kejriwal said the BJP is “nervous, completely rattled and baffled“.
He said BJP should not hide behind the Income Tax law which says that there is no need to mention the names of those who have donated below Rs 20,000.
“Let them put the list of all the donors less than Rs 20,000 so that the country knows which are those coal beneficiaries or various other industrial beneficiaries who got various contracts from BJP and BJP—ruled states. We have put all the list on website. Let BJP also do it,” he said.
In the editorial, the BJP mouthpiece has firmly supported Mr. Gadkari and called Mr. Kejriwal’s allegations against him a “falsehood” and a “damp squib“.
“No one should doubt the maturity of the people of the country who can distinguish between reality and conspiracy, truth and falsehood, revolution and revelations, agitation and propaganda,” the editorial said.
It also states that ever since Mr. Kejriwal has announced his intention to join politics and contest elections, his “sensex has not only crashed down but also completely nosedived“.
The article has also praised NCP Chief and union minister Sharad Pawar for defending Mr. Gadkari against Mr. Kejriwal’s charges and described this as a “slap on the face” of the activist.
