Defiant Kejriwal begins protest at Parliament Street

New Delhi, Oct 13 (ANI): Activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal, who was arrested for leading a march towards Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's residence, has reached the Parliament Street here to carry forward demand of Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid's resignation over allegations that an NGO headed by latter and run by his wife Louise siphoned off lakhs of rupees meant for physically challenged people.

Kejriwal, who was released from a makeshift jail in Bawana along with his supporters earlier in the day, appealed to the people to join them at Parliament Street. Kejriwal earlier said that they would continue with their agitation.

Before he was released from the makeshift jail in Bawana, Kejriwal told his followers: "They cannot detain us for more than 24 hours as they will have to present us before the magistrate. 24 hours will be over at 3 p.m. Either they will have to release us or they will have to produce us before the magistrate and arrest us. If they keep us under arrest then they will take us to Tihar jail and if we are released then we will head towards the Parliament Street. "

"I would appeal people to reach Parliament Street in large numbers. The country will not remain mum and Salman Khurshid will have to resign and we will not accept Prime Minister's silence," he added.

Kejriwal also criticized the Delhi Police for beating up some workers and accused the Police of threatening the India Against Corruption (IAC) supporters. "Yesterday one of the workers was brutally beaten by the police, and later he was taken in the police vehicle to an isolated place where he was threatened that he would be implicated in cases if he continued with the protest. I want to make them aware that such pressure tactic will not work on us; instead more volunteers would join the movement," he said.

Hindi news channel 'Aaj Tak' had earlier alleged that an NGO run by Salman Khurshid and his wife Louise Khurshid had misappropriated funds meant for the differently-abled by forging signatures.

The Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, headed by Salman Khurshid, has come under the scanner after a TV channel exposed a scam to the tune of Rs 71 lakh. According to Aaj Tak report, the Union Ministry for Social Welfare and Empowerment had granted Rs 71.50 lakh to the trust for distributing tricycles and hearing aids to the disabled in 17 districts of U.P.

Salman Khurshid is the president of the Trust, while his wife Louise Khurshid is the project director.

As per the rules, the trust should have informed the district magistrate; the district social welfare officers prepare and send a list of beneficiaries from districts and the money is disbursed at the camps organized for this purpose, in the presence of district officials.

But reports state that the Trust distributed the equipment under the forged signatures of district welfare officers and the camps were never held. The Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust is registered at Khurshid's residence in the national capital (4, Gulmohar Avenue, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi) and the minister's wife - Louise Khurshid, who happens to be a former MLA - is its chief functionary officer. The trust is registered as an NGO and has been operating in many states and has been receiving substantial grants from several important ministries of the government of India.

The project relates to providing aids to physically challenged people in 17 districts of Uttar Pradesh, including Khurshid's hometown Farrukhabad. (ANI)

Salman Khurshid is the law minister of our country.

Do I have to say more?

I suppose it is because he is the law minister, he and his wife were satisfied with a pittance of 71 lakhs only.

Such a small scam while others run into thousands of crores. What a poor crook?