Congress leader Ajay Maken (L) and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.
Credit: PTI Photos
New Delhi: Intensifying his attack on Arvind Kejriwal over his “anti-national” links, senior Congress leader Ajay Maken on Monday said one cannot support the AAP chief who can go to any extent to run his government for personal benefits.
Maken’s remark in response to queries on whether Congress would provide support to AAP in Delhi if it falls short of majority came after he accused the AAP of receiving funds from Khalistanis and not taking action against who lobbed grenades at police stations across Punjab and defaced BR Ambedkar’s statue and burnt Constitution in Amritsar.
He also rebuffed suggestions that the Congress central leadership was soft on Kejriwal, who he called “anti-national” on December 25, saying he as Treasurer is No 2 in party leadership hierarchy and is part of the central leadership. However, he side-stepped queries on whether Congress would impress upon other parties to expel AAP from the I.N.D.I.A. bloc.
Defending the decision to enter into alliance with AAP in Lok Sabha elections, he said the instances of grenade attacks on police stations, Khalistanis hoisting their flag at a venue where Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was to hoist tricolour and attack on Ambedkar statue in Amritsar took place after the polls.
At a press conference with Congress Working Committee member and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, he said, “I am of the view that we should not support such a party, which runs the government for personal gains”, as he recalled allegations, including the banned Sikh for Justice donating $16 million to AAP.
He said such incidents should not be seen in isolation, as Kejriwal himself has claimed that he is an “anarchist”.
“One shouldn’t be surprised that incidents like defacing Ambedkar statues take place as an anarchist does not follow the Constitution. It is time to show the door to Kejriwal in Delhi now and Punjab soon,” he said.