BJP seeks resignation of Kejriwal, Jain after Delhi minister's arrest

New Delhi, May 31: The BJP on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and health minister Satyendar Jain, who was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case, alleging that the AAP chief's stand on the issue shows that he not only condones corruption but is also involved in it. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia also rejected the Aam Aadmi Party's allegation of "political vendetta" and that Jain's arrest was linked to upcoming polls in Himachal Pradesh.

No court has quashed any proceedings of central agencies in a corruption case, he asserted and expressed confidence that the BJP will win the Himachal polls, likely to be held later this year. Addressing a press conference, a day after Jain was arrested by the ED, Bhatia said the BJP government at the Centre has zero tolerance against corruption and will continue to target graft. Polls keep taking place in the country, and probe agencies cannot be asked to step back from acting despite evidence because of elections, he added. Alleging that the health minister had been acting at the behest of the AAP supremo, the BJP leader said both Kejriwal and Jain should resign.

It is clear that Kejriwal has been left with no morality, he claimed and equated the AAP with "paap" (sin). Noting that former Punjab health minister Vijay Singla was also arrested in a corruption case recently, Bhatia alleged that the AAP has maintained a "100 per cent corruption" record. The AAP keeps saying that Kejriwal is an anti-corruption crusader but it is now clear that he is looting public money, he further alleged. The allegations of money laundering against Jain are serious, Bhatia said and noted that he had so far got no relief from any court.

The lack of action against him by Kejriwal shows that he not only condones corruption but is also involved in it, he alleged. Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday in connection with a money laundering case. Reacting to the arrest of his close aide, Kejriwal said on Tuesday that the ED's case is "completely fake and politically motivated". Kejriwal asserted that his government and the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) are "hardcore honest". "I have studied the case against Jain. It is completely fake and motivated by political reasons and he has been deliberately framed.

"We have faith in the judiciary. Jain will come out clean and the fake case will not sustain," the chief minister told reporters during an inspection of a road development programme of his government. Citing the reports regarding the case against Jain, the BJP spokesperson said the Delhi minister used four firms to launder over Rs 4.8 cr. If the case is about political vendetta as claimed by the AAP, then why did not Jain move any court despite the matter being so old, he asked. The AAP runs on the basis of such black money, Bhatia alleged, claiming that it appears such corruption is committed by the party leaders on the prodding of Kejriwal.

"We will like to know if any morality is left in you and your party," he said. Noting that Kejriwal had tweeted that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's action to sack Singla and lodging of a criminal case against him had brought tears to his eyes and that the whole nation felt proud of the AAP, the BJP spokesperson said he was shedding "crocodile tears" and questioned the party's defence of Jain. Jain's assets were also seized by the central agency earlier, and the CBI, too, had chargesheeted him in a disproportionate assets case, Bhatia said. PTI