"Interesting place": Hardeep Singh Puri shreds INDIA bloc over its 'Maharally' at Ram Leela Maidan

New Delhi [India], March 30 : Hitting out at the INDIA bloc over its 'Maharally' scheduled to be held tomorrow at Ram Leela Maidan, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that at the same place about 12-13 years ago, Arvind Kejriwal protested against the "corrupt" Congress government led by Manmohan Singh but now both (AAP and Congress) are in alliance now.
Hardeep Singh told ANI that Arvind Kejriwal was against corruption and liquor and today he is involved in a liquor scam.
Making a satire remark on Kejriwal joining hands with Congress, the union minister said that both Delhi CM did not just shake hands with them but hugged the ones against whom they were making allegations.
"The place is very interesting where the rally will be held. At the same place about 12-13 years ago, a rally of Anna Hazare ji was taking place and Arvind Kejriwal was also participating, and he used to say that he was a social activist and never wanted to come into politics. Who were they protesting against then? Congress party was ruling and the definition of corruption at that time was very interesting. You must remember 2G, CWG, and coal scam. They did not just shake hands with them but hugged them and are now in an alliance with the ones they were making allegations against," he said.
He further asked that there be people against whom Kejriwal was fighting, and now what will they do tomorrow? They will discuss whether Kejriwal, who is currently in ED custody, should be released.
"I want to ask you if people are happy that Kejriwal is in custody. He (Arvind Kejriwal) was against corruption and liquor and today he is involved in a liquor scam," Hardeep asked.
The Union Minister also pointed out that the Delhi CM is in custody because ED has sent him nine summons but he ignored them all.
He asserted that no individual gets immunity from corruption.
"There have been so many scams before 2014 but after that, no one can even make a single corruption charge on PM Modi. The Central agencies can do anything on their own. You can see what happened in West Bengal, where there was a recruitment scam in which many people applied and the candidate who was at number 2, did not get selected. He went to the court and lodged an FIR. When the court took cognizance, these agencies worked as per the orders of the court and hundreds of sacks full of currency notes were found at a vacant flat of one of their ministers," he said.
"The work of the central agencies does not stop if such people commit such mistakes. If we do such work then the central agencies have no choice, they have to work and I think that in the coming times, the central agencies will find more such scams," he added.
Further, hitting out the opposition's claim that the Centre is trying to silent them, Hardeep Singh Puri said that they are not trying to suppress the Opposition but want a good opposition and to have discussions on various issues in the Parliament.
"We will get to know how powerful they (Opposition) are on June 4th," he said.
Speaking on the Income Tax action to freeze the bank accounts of Congress, the Union Minister said that whether it is a small assessee or a big one if your exemption is less than your income assessment level then it is a different matter, everyone else has to file an assessment.
"But I would be surprised if such a big party forgets to file its assessment. They do not want to answer the income tax notices and just want to hold a press conference," he added.
Puri also emphasized that the BJP's narrative in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections is completely different as the party is contesting on its 10-year record.
"BJP's narrative is completely different. This time BJP is contesting the elections on its 10-year record. PM Modi has said that the country has to be made a developed India by 2047. Whatever our central schemes are, they are reaching every beneficiary. At this time when the prices of petrol and gas are rising in the world, the rates in India are low. There were only 14 crore gas cylinders in 2014, today they have reached 32 crore. At that time there were 25 lakh piped gas connections which today is 1 crore 25 lakh," Hardeep Singh Puri said.