Former AAP leaders divided over graft charges

On a day Arvind Kejriwal faced one of the worst political crisis, former associates Anna Hazare and Yogendra Yadav appeared divided over the corruption charges levelled against the Delhi chief minister.

Hazare, with whom Kejriwal started the apolitical India Against Corruption movement in 2011, gave a measured response that could be read as criticism of his former disciple.

“It is unfortunate if he has accepted the cash. If the allegations are true, then he has shattered the movement. A probe will definitely reveal the truth,” Hazare said.

Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi did not lose the opportunity to slam Kejriwal. Kiran, who was BJP’s chief ministerial candidate in the 2015 polls and lost to the AAP, tweeted, “Allegations of corruption made by a minister claiming to be an eye witness, against his own CM needs an independent investigation forthwith.”

‘Solid proof needed’

However, Swaraj India’s Yogendra Yadav, who along with advocate Prashant Bhushan was expelled after the elections for objecting to the choice of candidates, said one needs to provide solid evidence to support such charges.

“I might agree with charges of power, greed, arrogance, authoritarianism against Kejriwal, but charge of taking bribe needs solid evidence,” Yadav posted on Twitter.

Bhushan endorsed this view through a retweet. “The true test of character comes in adversity. We are now seeing the true faces of the AAP’s remnants as its ship sinks. What an opportunity lost,” he tweeted.

Kejriwal found support in senior party leader Kumar Vishwas, who tweeted, “I know Arvind (Kejriwal) for 12 years. After working with him for these many years, I can say that I cannot even think that he will indulge in corruption.”