Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addresses a public meeting for Lok Sabha elections.
Credit: PTI Photo
Chandigarh: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday took a dig at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying he had heard about "work from home" but it is the first time that he is hearing of "work from jail".
Addressing an election rally in Khanna for the BJP's Fatehgarh Sahib candidate Gejja Ram Valmiki, Singh said, "Here, AAP is the ruling party. You don't need to be told much about what kind of work it is doing." "There is also an AAP government in Delhi. But the AAP leader was jailed in the liquor scam," Singh, said referring to Kejriwal's arrest in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam.
The defence minister said he thinks every leader should have the moral courage to resign from their post if they face any allegation until being cleared of the charges.
This is morality, he said.
"AAP leader Kejriwal was jailed in the liquor scam. Even after that, he says he will continue to occupy the chief minister's post. He says he will work from jail," Singh said.
The Supreme Court granted AAP supremo Kejriwal interim bail till June 1, the last day of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, and directed him to surrender and go back to jail on June 2.
"We know about work from office, I have heard about work from home but this is the first time I am hearing about work from jail," Singh said in a dig at the Delhi chief minister.
He also attacked Kejriwal on floating AAP following the Anna Hazare-led movement against corruption.
Singh said when Kejriwal was running the agitation with Anna Hazare, the veteran leader had told him that the movement was against the Congress' corruption and its success should not be used for political gains and no political party floated.
"But Kejriwal did not listen to his guru. And he formed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)," he said.
Singh claimed Kejriwal had said that he would never live in a government accommodation if he became chief minister.
"But he later turned the chief minister's residence into a 'sheesh mahal' and used crores of public money on it," he said.
The veteran BJP leader also referred to the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal in Kejriwal's residence by his aide Bibhav Kumar, who has since been arrested in this connection.
"She was badly beaten. And now he (Kejriwal) is giving speeches before the people of the country," Singh noted.
"You must be thinking why I am speaking in such anger. A mother, a sister can be from any caste, community or political outfit. For us, she is a mother, a daughter," he said and added respect for women is integral to Indian culture.
Kejriwal maintained silence on the issue for '15 days', the defence minister claimed.
"Inside your home, your party MP is beaten up and you remain silent. I want to ask you, does such a person have the right to continue as chief minister?" Rajnath said.
He also attacked Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during the rally.
"The Punjab chief minister comes from this party (AAP) and treats him (Kejriwal) as leader. When his leader Kejriwal can be like this, what must his (Mann's) situation be? God knows!" Singh said.
Punjab's 13 Lok Sabha seats go to the polls on June 1.