Arvind Kejriwal says he stands like a 'rock' before PM Modi's 'intimidation tactics'
New Delhi:
Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, today declared he would not be intimidated or broken by what he called "false charges" as he hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after being drawn into an alleged tanker scam.
"Modiji, I am not a Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi that you can scare me. I am not a Robert Vadra that you can have a setting (secret deal) with me. The Modi government doesn't file cases against Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi or Vadra but it targets me," Mr Kejriwal said, adding, "Modi has tried to intimidate people with raids, false cases and threats. But I am standing like a rock - I won't bend, break or back off."
The "tanker scam" relates to allegations that between 2008 and 2011, the Congress government led by Sheila Dikshit bypassed the rules and caused losses worth 400 crores while giving tenders to water tanker companies, allegedly at much higher rates. A complaint by Delhi minister Kapil Mishra was recently forwarded by Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB).
A BJP lawmaker, Vijender Gupta, has filed a second complaint alleging that scam continued after Mr Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) took power.
A case was registered on Monday the ACB, which reports to the Centre, based on both complaints. ACB chief MK Meena said both Ms Dikshit and Mr Kejriwal would be questioned, based on the complaints.
The Chief Minister said: "Respected Narendra Damodar Das Modi, get as many FIR registered against me (as you can), I will keep raising my voice. You will find me struggling over issues of the farmers and Dalit."
The BJP has demanded Mr Kejriwal's resignation over the tanker scam. "He has lost his right to be in power. His government continued with the same contractors who worked during the Sheila Dikshit regime," said Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay.
"Modiji, I am not a Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi that you can scare me. I am not a Robert Vadra that you can have a setting (secret deal) with me. The Modi government doesn't file cases against Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi or Vadra but it targets me," Mr Kejriwal said, adding, "Modi has tried to intimidate people with raids, false cases and threats. But I am standing like a rock - I won't bend, break or back off."
The "tanker scam" relates to allegations that between 2008 and 2011, the Congress government led by Sheila Dikshit bypassed the rules and caused losses worth 400 crores while giving tenders to water tanker companies, allegedly at much higher rates. A complaint by Delhi minister Kapil Mishra was recently forwarded by Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB).
A BJP lawmaker, Vijender Gupta, has filed a second complaint alleging that scam continued after Mr Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) took power.
A case was registered on Monday the ACB, which reports to the Centre, based on both complaints. ACB chief MK Meena said both Ms Dikshit and Mr Kejriwal would be questioned, based on the complaints.
The Chief Minister said: "Respected Narendra Damodar Das Modi, get as many FIR registered against me (as you can), I will keep raising my voice. You will find me struggling over issues of the farmers and Dalit."
The BJP has demanded Mr Kejriwal's resignation over the tanker scam. "He has lost his right to be in power. His government continued with the same contractors who worked during the Sheila Dikshit regime," said Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay.
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