Kejriwal slams PM, poses five queries to RSS chief

NEW DELHI: Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday posed five questions to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat: Do you agree with PM Modi's "tactics of using threats of ED and CBI to topple state govts?" Does RSS agree with Modi inducting "most corrupt netas" into BJP? Has Bhagwat ever stopped the PM from doing these "wrong things"?

The Delhi ex-CM also asked, "What went through your heart" when J P Nadda said BJP no longer needs RSS? Should BJP's "rule on age of retirement" apply to Modi (75) "as it did to LK Advani"?

Not in politics for money: Kejriwal
While addressing a ‘Janta Ki Adalat’ at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, Kejriwal alleged that PM Modi uses ED and CBI to “topple state govts”. The AAP national convenor asked Bhagwat, “Is this right for the country? Don’t you think this is harmful to democracy?” He reminded Bhagwat that RSS members say they are “nationalists and patriots”.

Kejriwal also said the politicians whom Modi and home minister Amit Shah themselves called “most corrupt” just a few days ago were included in BJP shortly after.

The former chief minister further questioned that since BJP was born from the womb of the RSS, has Bhagwat ever stopped the PM from doing these “wrong things”?

Kejriwal claimed BJP National President JP Nadda had said during this year’s Lok Sabha elections that BJP no longer needs RSS. “Has the 'son' grown up so much that he has started challenging his 'mother'?” he asked.

Claiming of a “rule in BJP that anyone who crosses the age of 75 will retire”, Kejriwal said prominent netas like Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, BC Khanduri, Kalraj Mishra, and Shanta Kumar were “retired” and wanted to know whether this rule will apply to Modi.

Hoping that Bhagwat would respond to these questions, Kejriwal urged everyone to reflect on these questions.

The AAP chief announced that he would move out of the chief minister's official residence after the "shraddh" period during Navratri. “I have only earned your love in 10 years….many people in Delhi are offering me their houses, without rent. I will come to any of your houses and start living with you,” he added.

Addressing the public for the first time following his resignation as chief minister, Kejriwal said he resigned because he did not join politics to indulge in corruption or earn money or to sit in the CM's chair. “When I came out of jail, I thought in my mind that until the court does not honourably acquit me, I will not sit on the CM’s chair again. But my lawyers told me that this case can drag on for a very long time, maybe for 10 to 15 years. So, I decided that I will go to the court of my people, who should tell me whether I am honest or not,” he said.

Though the programme was called Janta Ki Adalat, there was no dialogue with the public and no questions from the public were taken.

Addressing the people gathered at the Jantar Mantar, the AAP chief said it reminded him of the old days at the Jantar Mantar as on April 4, 2011, the biggest anti-corruption movement of independent India, Anna Andolan, commenced from here.

“They (the then Central govt) did not listen to us and challenged us to contest and win the election. We were ‘small people’ and did not know how to contest elections. We contested elections, and the people elected us to power,” he said.

Kejriwal said that the upcoming elections are not ordinary elections. The upcoming elections in Delhi are ‘Kejriwal's litmus test’. He further added that if they think he is corrupt, they should not press the ‘jhadu’ (broomstick) button in polls.