Will file sue Atishi, Sanjay Singh over BJP bribery allegations: Dikshit

Sandeep Dikshit to file defamation case against AAP leaders for bribery allegations, vows to donate money to charity.

Senior Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on Tuesday said he would file a defamation case against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Atishi and Sanjay Singh over allegations of taking money from the BJP.

“A few days ago, (Chief Minister) Atishi said we are taking money from the BJP. After this press conference, I will file a criminal and civil defamation case against her and (AAP Rajya Sabha member) Sanjay Singh. I will ask for ₹10 crore and out of that money, I will donate ₹5 crore to Yamuna cleaning and the remaining half to clean the polluted air in Delhi,” Mr. Dikshit said.

The former Union Minister, contesting the upcoming Delhi Assembly election from the New Delhi seat against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, claimed the latter was “yet to show proof of corruption in the erstwhile Congress government led by Sheila Dikshit”.

“Mr. Kejriwal used to walk around saying that he had 360 pages of evidence against the Sheila Dikshit government but it turned out to be 360 pages of newspaper clippings. He is the first person who has shown newspaper clippings as evidence and has not proved anything till now,” he alleged.

Over the schemes like monthly aid to women and free treatment of senior citizens in Delhi hospitals recently announced by AAP, Mr. Dikshit asked what the ruling party was doing in the last 10 years. “Why is the party [AAP] announcing schemes on the eve of elections when they had a decade to announce and implement them? Mr. Kejriwal, even if he wins the election, cannot become the CM as the court has not allowed him to sign on any files. Why is he lying to the public that he will implement these schemes,” he asked.

Reacting to the allegations, AAP in a statement said, “Mr. Dikshit is peddling the BJP’s narrative, which is why he turns a blind eye to (BJP leader) Parvesh Verma (sic) openly distributing black money in a cash-for-votes row and joins the visionless BJP in hurling abuses at Mr. Kejriwal from morning to evening.”

AAP had accused Mr. Parvesh Sahib Singh, a former West Delhi Lok Sabha MP, of “bribing” women voters to influence the Assembly poll outcome in the New Delhi seat. Mr. Parvesh denied the charge and reiterated that the money was distributed by Rashtriya Swabhiman, an NGO founded by his father and former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma.