Modi scared of arresting Sonia: Kejriwal

Launching a frontal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the Centre was "scared" of taking action against Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the AgustaWestland chopper scam.

Addressing an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) protest at Jantar Mantar over the AgustaWestland scam, Kejriwal said: "Why is the central government not arresting Sonia Gandhi when she is involved in the AgustaWestland scam - because Modi does not have the courage to arrest her."

Hundreds of AAP supporters along with leaders, including Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh and Kumar Vishwas, protested at Jantar Mantar over the VVIP chopper bribery scam.

Kejriwal said though the scam came to light two years ago the Modi government did not conduct any investigation.

"What has the central government done in the last two years? Modiji promised to fight against corruption but he has betrayed the nation by not taking any action against the AgustaWestland scam accused," Kejriwal, the AAP National convenor, said.

He also slammed the central government for not taking any action against Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra whose land deals are under investigation.

"During his election campaign in 2014, Modi would often talk about Vadra at his rallies. But what action has he taken against Vadra in the last two years? He can send CBI to raid my office but not to Vadra's office," Kejriwal said, addressing supporters.

The protesters later marched to the prime minister's residence at 7, Race Course Road and Sonia Gandhi's residence at 10, Janpath.

During the protest march, hundreds of AAP supporters were detained after they engaged in a scuffle with the police personnel. The protesters were later released.

Meanwhile, the Congress and BJP took potshots at Kejriwal after he alleged that there was a "deal" between the two parties with regard to the AgustaWestland scam.

BJP spokesperson Sidharth Nath Singh said that Kejriwal's politics encouraged him not to follow the law.

"Kejriwal himself became the chief minister of Delhi for the first time with Congress's support. Moreover, Kejriwal has a brand of politics that encourages him not to follow the law. The government will follow the process of law and the guilty will be punished but under the law of the country, not Kejriwal's", Singh said.

Congress leader Manish Tewari said that instead of pointing fingers at the Congress, Kejriwal should look within.

"His own ministers and MLAs are being charged with various offences. So before making these allegations, Kejriwal has to answer for the omissions and commissions of his own MLAs", Tewari said.

The bribery charge in the chopper deal has rocked Parliament, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre and the opposition Congress trading charges.

--IANS

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