Kejriwal disputes Modi claims, wants to meet him

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal was Friday stopped while going to meet Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, shortly after he alleged widespread corruption and unemployment in the state.

Kejriwal was driving to the BJP prime ministerial candidate's residence here when police halted him and the rest of his convey and wanted to know if he had an appointment with Modi.

As his party colleague Manish Sisodia then proceeded to Modi's house to seek an appointment, Kejriwal said he wanted to raise 16 questions if only he could meet the Bharatiya Janata Party veteran.

"We are also the 'aam janta' (common man) of this country. If the person who dreams of becoming the prime minister does not want to meet us, what can we do?" Kejriwal asked.

Earlier, Kejriwal, on a "study" tour of Gujarat, rubbished Modi's claims of having provided good governance in the state since he came to office in 2001.

The former Delhi chief minister, who has visited various places, at times amid protests by Modi supporters, insisted there was a lot of corruption in Gujarat.

"You claim to have eradicated corruption. But when I met people here in villages and towns, I came to know there is a lot of corruption in your government departments," he said, referring to Modi.

"People have to give bribe to get BPL cards and to get jobs. People are very unhappy with the corruption. So how can you claim to have eradicated corruption?"

Kejriwal also alleged that Modi had accommodated "corrupt leaders" like Babubhai Bokhiria and Purushottam Solanaki in his cabinet.

He added that he found widespread unemployment in Gujarat.

"You have kept youths on contract jobs. You pay them a meagre Rs.5,300 (a month). How can an educated man run a family with such a meagre amount?"

He lamented that the condition of government schools in the Gujarat villages he went to was "very bad".

The AAP founder leader described as false the statistics dished out by the Gujarat chief minister claiming giant strides in agriculture in the state.