After Raghuram Rajan, is Arvind Kejriwal on Subramanian Swamy's list?

BJP MP from East Delhi Maheish Girri on Sunday went on a hunger strike outside the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, demanding that the chief minister prove the allegations regarding the murder of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) official MM Khan.

Girri challenged Kejriwal to public debate over his allegations.

BJP Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy, who had joined Girri in the dharna, said that with Raghuram Rajan gone, he will now focus on exposing the Delhi Chief Minister.

“All his life he (Kejriwal) has done fraud. He says he was a meritorious student in IIT but I have records of how he got his admission…which I will reveal in a press conference. Till now I was Rajan ke peechhe (was going after Raghuram Rajan) and he is now gone,” Swamy said.

Earlier, in a letter to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, Kejriwal had accused the Governor of trying to “save” Girri and NDMC vice-chairman Karan Singh Tanwar in Khan’s murder.

Khan, an estate officer of NDMC, was shot dead in Jamia Nagar on 16 May, a day before he was scheduled to pass the final order on the lease terms of a hotel which was functioning on a property leased out by the civic body.

The Delhi Chief Minister, meanwhile has reacted on Girri’s hunger strike outside his residence. He said that BJP is pressurising the police to not take action in the case and is instead indulging in theatrics.

Police must arrest him (Maheish Girri) and must investigate. Police is not conducting probe because of pressure from BJP: Arvind Kejriwal

— ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2016

“Maheish Girri forwarded the letter written by hotelier Ramesh Kakkar to the Lt. Governor which asked for removal of NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council) legal adviser MM Khan. The LG then forwarded the letter to the NDMC chairman on the reference of Mahesh Girri,” Kejriwal told the press.

He added: “Is this how criminal justice system works in the Modi government that whoever is accused of murder will sit on dharna outside my home?”

On the other hand, Subramanian Swamy came out in the defence of Girri and said “Delhi government will survive if Kejriwal apologises… government should be dismissed in national interest,” he said. He claimed that in 1991 when he was the Union Law Minister, he “dismissed” four state governments and the decision of the then central government was upheld by the Supreme Court and supported in Parliament.

The Rajya Sabha MP charged that Kejriwal often uses the “shoot and scoot” tactic to attack political rivals. “He should either show documents (to corroborate his charges against Girri) or apologise,” he said.

Swamy also demanded the dismissal of Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung stating that baseless allegations are being levelled against an elected MP.

Lt Governor Najeeb Jung must be dismissed: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy outside CM Kejriwal's residence. pic.twitter.com/IG4ibWS4P8

— ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2016

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, who also joined the dharna, dared the chief minister to face Girri and alleged that hurling baseless charges and going into hiding was an “old habit” of Kejriwal.

Maheish Girri, who is continuing his hunger strike for the second day, said that Kejriwal cannot evade debate forever.

However, on BJP’s demand for an open debate, Kejriwal asked if that is how BJP’s justice system functions. Do we have open debates on murder cases? he wondered.

Aam Aadmi Party also called a press conference as the controversy gained momentum. While alleging that the Delhi police was shielding the BJP MP, AAP produced three letters in the conference and claimed that there is enough evidence against Tanwar and Girri.

Who killed MM Khan. Tanwar's letter to LG-False accusations on honest NDMC officer MM Khan #ArrestTanwarGirri pic.twitter.com/uvxGie4SwW

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) June 20, 2016

BJP's Tanwar & Giri's track record shows corruption and misconduct. Strong evidence of involvement in MM Khan's murder #ArrestTanwarGirri

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) June 20, 2016

Taking a dig at the BJP, AAP leaders also said that Modi controls top agencies, Girri should ask his own government for a probe.

"Modi ji has ACB, CBI, Delhi Police, LG since last 2 years". India never heard of so many attacks/ killings before that. #ArrestTanwarGirri

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) June 20, 2016

MM Khan,honest NDMC officer killed for BJP ally hotelier.Don't know how many more killed each day to protect the corrupt #ArrestTanwarGirri

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) June 20, 2016

When asked about the letter the AAP leaders were citing, Maheish Girri said, “Waving a few papers in air proves nothing. If they (AAP) have evidence they should file it with the Delhi police.” Girri, again denied all allegations as baseless.

Earlier, in a letter to Kejriwal, Girri had invited him to Constitution Club to produce “evidence” he had against him in the MM Khan murder case on Sunday 4 pm.

Kejriwal did not accept the challenge following which Girri, accompanied by his party supporters, reached the Chief Minister’s flagstaff Road residence and sat on hunger strike.

The BJP MP has asked Kejriwal to either prove his charge against him or “resign” from the post of Chief Minister.

“If he manages to prove, then I will quit politics, otherwise he should do so,” Girri said.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leaders also decided to throw their weight behind Girri maintaining that the Delhi CM must apologise if he cannot prove his allegations. As the BJP MP’s hunger strike entered it’s second day, Subramanian Swamy, Vijay Goel and Manoj Tiwari from the BJP have joined the protest in a bid to support Girri, so far.

MM Khan Murder case: BJP MP Manoj Tiwari joins protest led by Mahesh Giri outside CM Kejriwal's residence in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/Ri9d2186Ip

— ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2016

Earlier, Girri had also written to the Delhi Police Commissioner stating that he is ready for arrest if need be and that he will fully cooperate in a probe.

Question me if needed. Also, arrest me if required, I'll fully cooperate: Maheish Girri in letter to Delhi Police commissioner Alok K Verma

— ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2016

Meanwhile, MM Khan’s daughter has said that the politics being played around her father’s death is hurting her family. She said that she and her family has not levelled allegations against anyone. In all the brouhaha around the issue, the investigation on the case is lost, she added. She also said," We are simple people and we do not understand all this politics. We only wish for an unbiased probe in his death."

Khan’s daughter also requested the BJP MP to end his hunger strike, saying she doesn’t want any one to go hungry.

We don't want this issue to be politicised. We're just seeking justice for my father: Daughter of Lawyer MM Khan pic.twitter.com/EXnm4N1Uql

— ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2016

Hitting back at Girri, AAP’s Delhi unit convenor Dilip Pandey said an open debate with Kejriwal would not solve the problem, instead the BJP MP should be ready for a fair investigation.

Pandey also alleged that Tanwar took money from Kakkar to get Khan transferred and the BJP leader had also threatened the NDMC officer.

Pandey claimed that a letter was written by Tanwar to Khan. AAP and people of Delhi want to know the content of the letter which has since gone missing, he claimed.

With inputs from agencies