The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will launch a public awareness campaign to remind the people about the involvement of former BJP President Nitin Gadkari in mega land scams and his attempts to provide favours to private companies in Maharashtra.
The AAP will not allow any political leader involved in corruption to escape public scrutiny and the party stands solidly behind the principled stand taken by its national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the fight against corruption.
The party’s legal team will present Kejriwal’s stand in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate at the Patiala House Court in the national capital on Friday that there is no provision in criminal law which makes it mandatory for a defendant in a case of criminal defamation to furnish a surety bond when he is willing and ready to be present at every date of hearing.
Party leaders met Kejriwal at the Tihar Jail on Thursday and he appealed to volunteers and sympathisers to maintain peace and calm.
The AAP makes it clear that it will reiterate the views of Kejriwal about Gadkari’s involvement in large scale corruption scams and will not be cowed down by the tactics of intimidation like threats of defamation and police brutalities on its leaders and volunteers.
Gadkari’s involvement in corruption scams is a test case for the new government to be led by the new Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi, who is to assume office on Monday. It remains to be seen whether Mr Modi who has promised to fight corruption and criminalisation of politics, will keep his word or will he include leaders like Mr Gadkari and Mr BS Yeddyurappa in his council of ministers ?
The AAP condemns the false propaganda by its political opponents and sections of the media that Kejriwal chose to go to jail as part of a drama. It is shocking that the BJP and the Congress are belittling the fight against corruption and resorting to diversionary tactics.
The use of such terminology is a deliberate attempt to deter any voice speaking against corruption in public life. The AAP will fight its legal battle and will also take its fight to the court of the people. Are the Congress and the BJP trying to say that speaking out against corruption and questioning erroneous understanding of law is a drama ?
Mr Gadkari had remained largely silent except for muted denials in 2012 when the AAP had exposed personal favours given to him by the Congress/NCP government of Maharashtra. Mr Gadkari had managed around 100 acres of agricultural land in his possession by bending rules with the state government’s help. This land was to be returned to farmers but this was not done. The AAP had also exposed Mr Gadkari’s interest in sugar, ethanol and other businesses and the benami companies owned by his Purti Group.
It was only when earlier this year the AAP made an announcement that it will put up candidates against corrupt leaders, including Mr Gadkari that he filed a complaint of criminal defamation against Kejriwal.
The AAP will not allow the genuine political discourse to be thwarted by threats of defamation.
The Aam Aadmi Party takes exception to the misinformation being spread by sections of the media regarding the release of party leader Yogendra Yadav.
He was arrested on Wednesday night outside the Tihar Jail when he was peacefully protesting against Kejriwal’s arrest. It has been wrongly reported that the AAP adopted different standards for Yadav and Kejriwal.
It must be clearly understood that Yadav was arrested by the police which informed him that he has violated prohibitory orders and he was produced in the court on Thursday, which released him on a personal bond of Rs 5,000.
There is no comparison between the cases of Yadav and Kejriwal, since Arvind’s attendance was required in the court, which he did and the party disagrees with the court’s insistence for a surety bond since there was no apprehension of his not appearing on the dates of hearing.
Infact, legal opinion sought by the party shows that there is no mandatory requirement for a complainant and defendant to be present in the court in cases of defamation, except when their statements are to be recorded.
There was no need to order Kejriwal’s arrest and comparison with Yadav is misplaced.
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