New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS): With the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding Arvind Kejriwal provide concrete evidence to back up his claims that Haryana is poisoning the Yamuna river, Janata Dal-United leader Rajiv Ranjan Prasad on Wednesday said that the Aam Aadmi Party national convener is making such irresponsible statements without any proof and criticised him over his inability to defend his serious allegations.
Speaking to IANS, Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said, "Kejriwal ji has been cornered now. The BJP has completely silenced him, and now he's struggling to answer the barrage of questions. These questions come from the ECI, raising issues of credibility and trustworthiness. A politician of his stature - the national convener of a political party and former Chief Minister - cannot make such irresponsible statements without proof. He should retract his statement and apologise for the benefit of his party."
Prasad also reacted to the ongoing public spat between Kejriwal and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, particularly their allegations regarding corruption in the liquor scam. He pointed out the contradictions between the two leaders who, until recently, were seen aligning against the NDA, and now accuse each other of corruption.
"Until yesterday, they were hugging each other and attacking the NDA. Now, they’ve started blaming one another. On one hand, Congress has a tainted history of scams, and on the other, Kejriwal emerged from Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement only to lead a party now mired in scandals like the liquor scam. The people of Delhi see the reality and will choose the NDA," Prasad contended.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been vocal in accusing Kejriwal of presiding over the "biggest liquor scam" in Delhi. Speaking at a rally in Patparganj, he named Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as the "architects" of the scam.
In response, AAP leader Priyanka Kakkar hit back, questioning Congress's inaction in the National Herald case and insinuating an alleged political alliance between Congress and the BJP. She accused the Modi government of framing AAP’s leadership in the liquor case without evidence, while the National Herald case against Congress remains unresolved.