Prometheus
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AAP stung by another ‘sting’: Kingra says Delhi leaders take cash
Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Hardip Singh Kingra, who recently resigned from the party, alleged that party’s Delhi leaders had been accepting cash collected by Punjab leaders for the party.
A former bureaucrat, Kingra is a close aide of party’s sacked leader Sucha Singh Chhotepur.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Kingra said a bag containing Rs 16 lakh was handed over to AAP national spokesman Ashutosh and another Rs 5 lakh to party’s Punjab affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh.
“I headed the AAP’s finance committee and we had 12 members with us. Before the Maghi Mela in January this year, we collected around Rs 24 lakh from party supporters. While everyone deposited the amount in the party fund, one of the members of the fundraising committee, Surinder Singh Arora, told me that he had collected `6 lakh but gave Rs 5 lakh to Sanjay Singh and `1 lakh was deposited in the party account.”
Rubbishing the allegations, Arora said he would file a defamation case against Kingra. Arora said he had all details of funds raised for the party. Sanjay Singh also refuted the charges and said Arora was telling the truth.
Rs 5 LAKH TO MEET PATHAK?
Kingra also played a conversation, purportedly between AAP worker from Samrala, Paramjit Dhillon, and party’s Ludhiana sector observer Ambrish Trikha, in which Trikha is heard asking Dhillon that he will have to pay `5 lakh per month to “meet and hang around” party’s national organisation builder Durgesh Pathak so he is seen as a prominent AAP leader. Trikha added that the payment could also be made through cheque. He said if anybody wants to “meet” Pathak, he has to pay `5 lakh. Ambrish could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
AAP RUBBISHES CHARGES
When contacted, Pathak said he was not responsible for a conversation between two persons. “If someone is demanding money using my name, how can I be held responsible for it? The party has taken the recorded conversation seriously. We have asked for an inquiry into the contents of the audio clip. Strict action will be taken if the allegations are found to be true,” Pathak said.
The AAP has dismissed the allegations saying Kingra was defaming the party as he was denied ticket for contesting assembly polls.
Kingra said party’s Tarn Taran zone coordinator Iqbal Singh had handed over Rs 16 lakh to Ashutosh. He said the money was part of the Rs 1.5 crore collected during the 13 fundraising lunches and dinners organised by the party across Punjab. Ashutosh could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
Challenging the party’s legal cell in-charge Himmat Singh Shergill to take him to the court for defaming him, Kingra said he (Shergill) had “lied” when he said that 13 bank accounts of the AAP were functional in Punjab. “Twenty-seven bank accounts of the party were functional during the Lok Sabha polls in Punjab of which only four-five are active now. There is no account from which the Punjab leaders are given money by the party,” he said.
16 lacs to Ashutosh? 5 lacs to Sanjay Singh ... and 5 lacs to hang around Durgesh Pathak for just one month.
Consider the regions AAP is trying to spread into.
Punjab - a state with significant 'Sikh' population.
Goa - a state with significant 'Christian' population.
Both states with a potential for Anti-Hindu vote.
Its base is Delhi which is a state with a massive 'colonised' mentality which passes for 'secular'.
AAP has gained no traction with states with either significant Muslim population or Communist population.
Its target voter base is not Hindu, but anti-Hindu. This includes Hindus who hate Hinduism. Considering the current level of Hindu cultural awakening, AAP needs to reinvent itself or face obliteration.
I don't think Punjab has a strong anti Hindu sentiment, if am not wrong regional identity is what drives politics there. Punjab supported AAP because they had strong local Punjabi leaders but ever since they have been sidelined one can see opposition to Delhi takht of AAP.
lets agree to disagree on this one.The sentiment is not overt, its covert. It is expressed as an desire to be 'different'. It similar to what occurs in Tamil Nadu.
The British inspired compulsive need to be recognised as 'distinct', separate and unique. Even Superior.
A rejection of things that make us similar. They tend to find more 'similarity' in pakistan than in T.N.
That is why BJP will never find itself strong there, it will always be Akalis.
lets agree to disagree on this one.
I meant it's Punjabi Culture and Sikhism that dominates Punjab politics and Punjabi culture is similar across Hindus and Sikhs of Punjab unlike Goa.Which part do you disagree with ?
You mentioned "regional identity". How is this any different from "Dravidian" parties of TN ?
Whatever your point of view buddy, but AAP is not targeting these states just for the reason you are stating.Which part do you disagree with ?
You mentioned "regional identity". How is this any different from "Dravidian" parties of TN ?
I meant it's Punjabi Culture and Sikhism that dominates Punjab politics and Punjabi culture is similar across Hindus and Sikhs of Punjab unlike Goa.
Whatever your point of view buddy, but AAP is not targeting these states just for the reason you are stating.
Contesting Punjab and Goa are far easier than UP, Delhi has Punjabi connection and Goa is small.I am stating the obvious.
If you disagree feel free to explain how.
Contesting Punjab and Goa are far easier than UP, Delhi has Punjabi connection and Goa is small.