AAP attacks Haryana, says corruption 'much worse than in Delhi'

Panchkula (Har): Taking the ruling Congress head on, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Yogendra Yadav said corruption in Haryana was “much worse than Delhi”. Lashing out at the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government, Yadav said “AAP’s doors will always remain open” for IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who had highlighted illegalities in land deals involving Robert Vadra, who is the son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi. [caption id=“attachment_1336221” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  AAP volunteers. Reuters image[/caption] “The Haryana government is facing corruption allegation in land deals, change of land use (CLU) and recruitments,” Yadav said. “If corruption was an issue in Delhi, then it is hundred times a bigger issue in Haryana.” The AAP leader said each and every department and ministry in the state was plagued with corruption. Clarifying that Khemka had not accepted the invitation to join AAP, he said the party would always welcome “such honest officers”. “When Khemka highlighted the illegalities in land deals involving Robert Vadra, we made it clear that we would like to bring such honest officers in the party. “We had given him an invitation, which he did not accept. But AAP’s doors will always remain open for him,” said Yadav. The 50-year-old academician-turned-politician did not spare opposition parties, and accused them of deliberately not taking up issues pertaining to corruption. “They all are hand-in-glove with the corrupt,” said Yadav,  while vowing to make corruption an election issue. Though Yadav is projected as the likely chief ministerial candidate for the state which goes to polls later this year, he said no decision had been taken yet. “There should be no hurry in declaring the CM candidate. So far no decision has been taken about who will lead the campaign in the state,” he said. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party has decided to fight all 90 seats in Haryana. Buoyed by the outcome of Delhi elections, the party appears to be confident in making a breakthrough in Haryana. Yadav asserted that the party has done a lot of ground work in past one year and were capable of providing a good government in Haryana. Clarifying his stand on khap panchayats, Yadav said khap panchayats “not always did bad things for which they made news”. Supporting their role in society, he maintained that such panchayats help in bringing together people and resolving their issues. However, he said that khaps “indulging in activities not permitted under law was intolerable”. On speculations of party leader Kumar Vishwas contesting against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, Yadav said no decision has been taken in this regard. Taking a dig at former IPS officer Kiran Bedi, a former team Anna member and Kejriwal’s colleague during the Jan Lokpal agitation, for planning to join Bharatiya Janata Party, he said Bedi always held an opinion to go with a party which was “less worse than others”. “Kiran Bedi and others, who are said to be joining BJP, were never members of AAP,” he said. PTI