Kejriwal, Sisodia were involved in corruption, raising issues of people: Ajay Maken on Rahul Gandhi's sharp attacks on AAP

New Delhi [India], February 3 : With Rahul Gandhi launching sharp attacks on the AAP government and its leader Arvind Kejriwal in the run-up to Delhi assembly polls, Congress leader Ajay Maken has said the party was talking about issues concerning people and Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia "were involved in corruption" in the liquor policy case.
In an interview with ANI, Maken, who is MP and AICC treasurer, said the Congress has launched strong attacks in the wake of the CAG report which explains "how this corruption took place".
The sharp jibes by leaders of two parties against each other have caused some surprise in political circles as both Congress and AAP are part of the INDIA bloc and had fought Lok Sabha polls together in Delhi and Haryana last year.
Asked about the sharp jibes of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against Kejriwal in the recent past, Maken said "it should not be called a personal attack".
He said the Supreme Court, while giving bail to Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, has not exonerated him.
"Why do you call it a personalized attack? We've been talking about issues. We've been talking about various issues pertaining to the public so it's not a personal attack. When we talk about corruption, you may say it is a personal attack on Kejriwal or Manish Sisodia because they were involved in corruption. Supreme Court also, while giving bail to Kejriwal, has not exonerated him," Maken said.
"Supreme Court specifically said that he couldn't enter into Secretariat building, he couldn't call any officers, he couldn't sign on any of the files, which means that the Supreme Court also Prima facie believes that there is something wrong has happened. So it's not a personal attack and imagine a party which was formed to curb corruption, which was formed to bring in the Lokpal Bill and that party, the leaders themselves are caught taking bribes and spending money, corruption money on elections. So this is very strange and this is what we are talking about," he added.
He was asked why Rahul Gandhi had chosen to attack Arvind Kejriwal now and why did he wait all these months.
Maken, a strong critic of Kejriwal, also took 'Sheeshmahal' jibe Kejriwal and said the CAG report explains "liquor scam".
"There is something new which has happened and that something new is the CAG report which has just come out, which they were sitting upon. So the CAG report clearly explains how this corruption took place. It explains about the 'Sheeshmahal'. It explains about the liquor scam. This is something which has just happened now and which has opened eyes for everyone," Maken said.
"I think the CAG report is a new development, and it was on the CAG report's basis only that AAP used to attack the Congress party when we were in power in 2012-13. Now again when the CAG report indicates wrongdoings of the Aam Aadmi Party government then we all have every right based on that CAG report to criticize the government," he added.
The AAP government did not table CAG reports in the assembly.
Rahul Gandhi has sharpened his attack on Kejriwal on a range of issues including liquor policy and pollution in the Yamuna river.
"Arvind Kejriwal said that he will bring new political system, will finish corruption...He also promised that he would clean the Yamuna water within 5 years, and would take a dip in it but it is still dirty. I would ask him to drink it, we will meet in the hospital after that," Rahul Gandhi said at a rally in the national capital.
He said there is no representative from Dalit, OBC or Muslim community is in AAP's "core team."
"Earlier Arvind Kejriwal used to roam around in the city in a small car, climb electric poles...He said that I would bring clean politics. After that, the biggest scam in Delhi--the liquor scam of crores of rupees, was done by his party, his people. He has run a corporate government," Gandhi alleged in a rally. He said that Kejriwal had done little to tackle unemployment. "He keeps giving speeches, he keeps saying that he is honest, he gives certificate to himself instead of asking people and who does this?" the Congress leader said in a rally.
Congress has made a slew of promises in its Delhi election manifesto and has sought to add more punch to its campaign with Priyanka Gandhi also seeking support of people.
The party has fielded prominent faces against Kejriwal and Chief Minister Atishi.
Talking with ANI, Maken, a former union minister, blamed AAP for ruling out possible alliance talks with Congress, saying Kejriwal and Gopal Rai announced unilaterally that they would fight all 70 seats in Delhi on their own.
Congress has ruled Delhi for 15 years and party leaders feel that most of its "vote bank" has been weaned away by AAP. The party is seeking to regain lost ground in Delhi polls.
Voting will take place on February 5 and votes will be counted on February 8.