Noted Gandhian Anna Hazare on Monday asked Delhi Chief Minister and his erstwhile colleague in the “India Against Corruption” movement Arvind Kejriwal to subject himself to a probe to clear himself of the allegations of corruption made against him by sacked Minister Kapil Mishra.
Interacting with mediapersons in home village of Ralegan-Siddhi in Ahmednagar district of western Maharashtra and speaking to various television channels during the day, Hazare said, “It is rather unfortunate and also saddening that a Minister is making allegation of corruption against Arvind. The second thing that given rise to suspicion in mind that the Minister has concerned has chosen to make the bribe charge against Arvind after being sacked from the Delhi Cabinet. The Minister should made the allegation even while he was in the Cabinet”.
Asked if Kejriwal should subject himself to a probe in the bridge charge made against him by Mishra, Hazare said: “If someone makes allegation against you, you should be prepared for a probe. When you have not done anything wrong, why should you fear any probe. I have been fighting against corruption for the last 40 years. Many times Ministers had made allegations against me. I always insisted that allegations against me be probed. On one occasion, I had taken a stand that I would not call off an agitation till a probe is ordered into allegations against me”.
“Arvind was part of the agitation against corruption waged by me. It was the 'India Against Corruption' movement that catapulted Kejriwal to Delhi Chief Minister’s post. But now, these allegations of corruption against him are deeply disappointing,” Hazare said.
“If the allegation against him is proved, Kejriwal should not remain as Chief Minister even for a minute. Similarly any Minister, who is found guilty of corruption in any part of the country, should be hanged like in the happened in the case of four convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape case,” Hazare said.
Hazare was reacting to the allegation made by Mishra that Kejriwal accepted Rs2 crore from his Cabinet colleague Satyender Jain. “I saw with my own eyes Satyendar Jain giving Rs2 crore in cash to Arvind Kejriwal at his residence. When I asked Kejriwal, he said such things happen in politics and it will be revealed later,” Mishra had said on Sunday.
Replying to a question, Hazare said, “The country faces a major threat from corruption. Corruption is weakening this country. But, the Government is dilly-dallying on coming out with a stern law to deal with corruption. like the previous Government did, the current NDA Government is sitting on the lokpal legislation. Had there been a lokpal now, corruption would have been under control today.”