New Delhi: Amid questions being raised over its source of funding, Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday said it has received donations amounting to Rs 20 crore, meeting its target for contesting the December 4 Delhi Assembly election.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led party thanked the people, including the NRIs, for their contributions and promised to "take care of their hard earned money" which they have donated "for changing the dirty system" and to fight against corruption.
"We are happy to inform that our donation target for Delhi Assembly elections has been achieved. Your party needed Rs 20 crores to fight Delhi elections. We have met that target. We don't need any more money for Delhi elections. A big thank you to all donors," said Kejriwal, AAP's national convenor.
AAP had set a target of collecting Rs 20 crore in party fund to ensure that it had all the resources to fight Delhi elections. It has received donations ranging from Rs 10 to several lakhs of rupees from people, the party said.
After political parties, including Congress and BJP, raised objection on the source of funding, Home Minister Shusilkumar Shinde had said that the government had ordered probe into it. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had also raised question on the party recieving funds from aboard.
The Delhi High Court had asked the government to probe if the one-year-old party had violated FCRA in receiving funds from abroad. The AAP received maximum donations from India, and also from NRIs residing in the US, Singapore, UK, Hong Kong, UAE, Saudi Arabia and other countries.
It had put all records of donations -- along with donor's name, name of the country they reside and the amount donated -- on its website. It had challenged other parties to make public details of donations received by them.
"We take pride in having an open and transparent record. Our records are open for anyone and everyone to see. Every single paisa received and spent is recorded. AAP has been always open with its records and i;ts the same even now," the party said in a statement. The party said any donations received now onwards would be used for the purpose of future activities.
