Ramesh comes out in defence of Khurshid

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh today came to the defence of his Cabinet colleague Salman Khurshid and expressed hope that the Law Minister will emerge from "this wholly manufactured ordeal with honour and integrity intact."

Ramesh's defence came after Arvind Kejriwal-led India Against Corruption (IAC) strengthened their campaign for the Law Minister's resignation alleging that Khurshid and his wife Louise were involved in cases of financial misappropriation and forgery in the Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust owned by them.

"I am confident that my very good friend and colleague and one of the most decent human beings I have ever known will emerge from this wholly manufactured ordeal with honour and integrity intact," Ramesh said in a statement.

Khurshid, who returned from London this morning, faced protests at IGI airport where activists of IAC raised slogans against him and attempted to show black flags.

Demanding his resignation, the activists also staged protests outside his residence here.
Khurshid denied the allegations levelled by a TV channel and Kejriwal's IAC.

"I will fight back the allegations with sufficient proof," he told reporters on arrival.
The protest by Kejriwal and disabled people demanding the resignation of Khurshid entered the third today.

The protesters, who were detained two days ago and released yesterday, continued their protest at Parliament Street and raised the pitch saying they will sit there till Khurshid resigns from the cabinet.

Khurshid's wife Louise, the project director of the NGO Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, had lashed out at Kejriwal yesterday, terming the allegations of "money bungling" as "baseless innuendos" and accused him of "doing politics using the shoulders of the disabled."