Chandigarh:- Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today hit back at Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on the issue of its funding, saying his allegations were “baseless” and it was open to a probe.
“We (AAP) urge Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) and Sukhbir Singh Badal (who also holds portfolio of state’s home affairs) to get the issue of funding to AAP probed by any agency,” Punjab’s AAP political affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh said here.
“If anything is found against AAP on the funding issue, action must be taken against us, but if nothing is found then Sukhbir should resign,” he said, adding, “He appears to be more as a comedy minister then a home minister. He gives baseless statements,” Sanjay said.
Sukhbir had recently requested Rajnath to initiate a probe into the funding of AAP allegedly by “extremist elements abroad” which aims to destabilise the state ahead of assembly elections next year.
The deputy chief minister, in a letter to Singh, had requested him to launch an immediate investigation into the “huge amount of money” being received by AAP from “radical elements residing in North America, Europe and Australia”.
“A thorough investigation into the money trail would unravel and expose those trying to disturb the hard won peace of Punjab through incidents of sacrilege and violence,” Sukhbir had claimed.
Rejecting his claims, Sanjay said AAP is a secular party and “respects all religions”.
Launching a frontal attack on Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, he said the latter was “forcing” youths to consume drugs.
“Majithia should be in jail,” he demanded.
Sanjay exuded confidence that AAP will win over 100 assembly seats in Punjab out of the total 117.
He rejected claims that “division” is taking place in AAP in Punjab, saying “party is united”.
Sanjay said the party had decided not to make any comment on AAP’s former Punjab convenor Sucha Singh Chhotepur till the two-member probe panel submit its report on allegations of bribe against the party leader.
On Punjab government’s decision to distribute utensils to the poor, AAP’s Punjab MP Bhagwant Mann said how come Akali Dal has now realised to do so.
“They (Akali Dal) are talking about distributing utensils, but what about providing food to the poor,” he said.
The number of people below poverty line during the Akali regime has increased, he claimed.
PTI
