New Delhi: High drama was witnessed on Monday at Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal's press conference when a man, claiming to be Anna Hazare supporter and BJP activist from Maharashtra, threw black ink on him and other party members present there.
Nachiketa Vaghrekar claimed he revers Anna as his guru and accused Kejriwal of 'betraying Hazare and betraying people". He entered the press conference venue and threw a can of black ink on Kejriwal and his colleagues Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, lawyers Prashant Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan while shouting 'Anna Hazare Zindabad'.
A small quantity of paint fell on Kejriwal's face while it also fell on Sisodia, Prashant Bhushan and Sanjay Singh. AAP activists present there immediately pulled Vaghrekar, who claimed to be the General Secretary of BJP's Ahmednagar unit, out of the conference hall.
Kejriwal, without naming any party, said, "It was done by those whose vested interests were being hit due to AAP's growing popularity." He claimed the position of both BJP and Congress was bad in Delhi assembly elections.
AAP leader Kumar Vishwas termed it as an act by BJP out of 'frustration' while BJP said it was 'low-grade' politics.
"This is an act of BJP which is frustrated with AAP's growing popularity in Delhi. It is sending such type of people to disrupt our programmes," he said.
BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said it was 'low grade politics' and she does not believe the 'story' as it has to be looked into whether it had any connection with Congress or AAP.
Kejriwal called the press conference to demand an independent and open probe into its accounts and donations from Anna Hazare who had written him on Sunday that he was getting reports of misuse of funds and his name in the Delhi elections.
"I would request Annaji to conduct a through probe by anyone he wants like Justice (retd) Santosh Hedge or anyone else and the report should be made public within 48 hours, so neither Congress nor BJP could raise suspicion over funds," Kejriwal said, adding "if I am found guilty I would not contest elections".
"But if I come clean, then Anna Hazare will have to come and campaign for our party," he said.
Hazare had written a letter to Kejriwal saying he had received reports of AAP using his name in elections campaign, use of fund collected during the anti-graft movement and on implementation of Janlokpal Bill on December 29 after convening an open session at Ramlila Maidan.
Hazare had also questioned his old colleague that he had also come to know that party had collected fund with the help of a SIM card procured in his name.
