AAP MLAs’ disqualification over ‘Office of Profit’: Who said what

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj argued that if any MLA did hold the 'Office of Profit' then the people living in respective constituencies would be witness to the privileges enjoyed by the MLAs.

“The recommendation is an example that this country runs according to the constitution. Not following the constitution and its spirit is the characterstic of AAP. The recommendation has shown mirror to AAP,” said Manoj Tiwari. (Express photo by Praveen Khanna/File)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have welcomed the Election Commission’s move recommending disqualification of 20 AAP MLAs for holding ‘Office of Profit’. Soon after the EC’s decision became known, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken Friday said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had no right to continue. Maken also told TV channels that his party would hold a protest march in front of the Chief Minister’s Office to push for Kejriwal’s resignation.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said the AAP’s recommendation of disqualification is an example that this country runs in accordance with the Constitution. “Not following the Constitution and its spirit is the characteristic of AAP. The recommendation has shown a mirror to AAP,” said Tiwari.

Meanwhile, a stunned AAP cried foul over the EC’s decision with party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj claiming that Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Jyoti made the recommendations without seeking the party’s explanation or opinion about the alleged holding of ‘Office of Profit’ by the MLAs.

Kejriwal has no right to continue.

Half of his cabinet ministers removed on corruption charges!
20 MLAs who were enjoying ministerial perks would be disqualified!

Where is Lokpal?
The MLAs and Ministers enjoying perks of power and foreign travel-Where is political probity?

— Ajay Maken (@ajaymaken) January 19, 2018

Person like me who has covered EC as reporter during Seshan days, today I can say EC has never touched so low ever. Sad.

— ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) January 19, 2018

EC SHOULD NOT BE THE LETTER BOX OF THE PMO.. but that is a reality today.

— ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) January 19, 2018

“No evidence, no argument of AAP was neither asked nor taken into consideration before the recommendations were sent to the President,” Bharadwaj told mediapersons.

Bharadwaj argued if any MLA did hold the ‘Office of Profit’, then the people living in respective constituencies would be witness to the privileges enjoyed by the MLAs. “I would like to know if any person living in the constituencies of the 20 MLAs who are alleged to have held the ‘Office of Profit’ had any knowledge about the MLAs owning a car, a house, property or any other privilege that was wrongfully enjoyed by these MLAs,” said Bharadwaj.

Anna Hazare -Kejriwal’s former ally in the crusade against corruption, took to twitter to express his views on the ‘Office of Profit’ crisis that unfolded on Friday.

“We parted our ways the day Arvind Kejriwal formed Aam Aadmi Party. We are not in contact anymore. I had told him not to form a party. Nation can’t be served by forming a party, had that been the case, the scenario would have been different in 70 years of independence,” tweeted Hazare.

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