New Delhi/Chennai/Srinagar, Oct 14 : Two more Union ministers—Jairam Ramesh and V Narayansamy—today came to the defence of their Cabinet colleague Salman Khurshid over allegations against him, confident he will emerge with “honour and integrity” intact.
Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh also backed Khurshid saying activist Arvind Kejriwal is looking out for a political space by resorting to tactics like making false allegations against the Law minister's trust in Uttar Pradesh on the basis of some sting operation done by a channel and leading an agitation to the Prime Minister's home.
Ramesh's defence came after Kejriwal-led India Against Corruption (IAC) intensified their campaign for the Law Minister's resignation alleging that Khurshid and his wife Louise were involved in cases of financial misappropriation and forgery in the Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust run by them.
”I am confident that my very good friend and colleague and one of the most decent human beings I have ever known will emerge from this wholly manufactured ordeal with honour and integrity intact,” Ramesh, the Rural Development minister, said in a statement.
Narayansamy, Minister of state in the PMO, charged Kejriwal with trying to “gain cheap popularity” by levelling charges against Khurshid.
”This is cheap popularity. He does not know what is democracy, parliamentary procedures. He wants popularity and is using the media for this,” he told reporters in Chennai.
Defending Khurshid, Narayansamy said there were no irregularities and maintained it was a private transaction where there was “no proof to show government support.”
”Kejrival is maligning people. He will feel the heat and learn a lesson,” the Minister said adding a 100 slogan-shouting persons cannot “decide the fate of the country.”
Information and Broadcasting minister Ambika Soni yesterday called Khurshid “upright” and said the demand for his resignation was not fair.
Asked about the controversy surrounding the trust run by Khurshid's wife and Kejriwal pitching for the resignation of the Law Minister over the issue, Digvijay Singh shot back asking, “Has an FIR been filed in the case? The matter is under investigation.
In Srinagar, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today said social activisit-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal is levelling baseless allegations as he has jumped into politics.
”He is levelling baseless allegation after allegation as he has formed a political party,” Shinde, winding up his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, told reporters here.
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had set an example by refusing to become the Prime Minister even after the Congress Legislature Party had elected her as the leader, he said.
”She refused to be the Prime Minister and instead nominated Manmohan Singh, a minority leader, for the post.
”People fight for post of sarpanch but she has made such a big sacrifice. Now, people are levelling allegations (against her),” Shinde said.
The BJP and the RSS are scared of the Congress as during the UPA rule, India has emerged as a world economic power, Shinde said.
Shinde paid obeisance at the shrine of revered Kashmiri saint Sheikh Nooruddin Noorani at Chrar-e-Sharief in central Kashmir's Budgam district. Yesterday, he had visited the Hazratbal shrine.
