Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: With the government firmly standing behind law minister Salman Khurshid, India Against Corruption (IAC) led by Arvind Kejriwal on Monday decided to suspend the ‘sack Khurshid’ agitation, for now, and vowed to continue the struggle.
IAC members were sitting on a dharna at Jantar Mantar for the past few days demanding that Khurshid be sacked for the alleged embezzlement of funds meant for handicapped by his NGO trust.
“We are suspending the agitation, not closing it,” the IAC said. Activists of the anti-corruption group said that they will now head to Farrukhabad – represented in the Lok Sabha by Khurshid – and launch a protest against him from November 1.
The group plans to go to villages and continue the fight.
Earlier in the day, levelling fresh charges against Khurshid, Kejriwal alleged that one Pankaj Kumar from Mainpuri whose name figures in the list of beneficiaries did not get any help from the NGO.
"The document given to government says he has been provided with a hearing aid. But he has problems in his legs. He was not given any hearing aid," Kejriwal claimed in the presence of Kumar.
Claiming that Congress and other parties like BJP and SP have been "exposed" in the fight against corruption, he also targeted Manmohan Singh.
"He too has been exposed. He does not speak. Congress and BJP are hand in glove. In a couple of days, (BJP chief Nitin) Gadkari will be exposed," he said.
He said if the country has Right to Reject as Anna Hazare demands, then these people will not get elected.
"During this Dussehra festival, we should not burn the effigies of mythical Ravan (and Meghdhoot and Kumbhakarna). Let us not burn their effigies. Let us select three people who are Ravans of the present," he said.
He also said that they will participate in a Mahapanchayat of farmers where they will expose alleged links between Robert Vadra, DLF and other companies in land deals.
He appealed Delhiites to switch off their lights for an hour in the evening on November two to protest against power tariff hike in the capital.
On Uttar Pradesh government's probe into the alleged irregularities of Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust run by Khurshid and his wife Louise, he said the Minister and the father-son duo of Yadav and Akhilesh will bail out each other.
Khurshid has denied the allegations of irregularities in his NGO.
"There is enough evidence building up but the question is who will conduct an investigation. Akhilesh Yadav? A case of disproportionate assets is pending against his father Mulayam Singh in Supreme Court. Who will appoint the government lawyer against Mulayam? The Law Minister will do.
"Now Khurshid will save Mulayam Singh and Mulayam's son will save Khurshid," he said addressing IAC activists on the fourth day of their protest at Parliament Street demanding Khurshid's resignation.
Kejriwal presented a disabled person who alleged that he was not provided any help as claimed by the NGO.
"Why is the Congress defending Khurshid's NGO? What is the relationship? Is it Khurshid's NGO or is it the Congress party's NGO? The party is definitely involved somewhere," he said.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Police's Economic Offences Wing today started collecting documents in connection with its probe into alleged financial irregularities in Zakir Hussain Trust run by Khurshid.
"EOW teams are collecting documents at various levels including state, divisional and district headquarters as a part of the investigation," Director General EOW, Subrat Tripathi.
With PTI inputs
First Published: Monday, October 15, 2012, 16:07