Kejriwal dares PM and Sonia for public debate

Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday dared the Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for a public debate and said India Against Corruption will answer questions raised against it only after Congress leadership and Robert Vadra come clean on charges of corruption.

A day after Congress leader Digvijaya Singh posed questions to Kejriwal on funding of his NGO and other issues, the activist hit back saying he was willing to reply to all queries but Digvijaya should first convince Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and others to answer issues raised by the people.

"We had put some questions to Robert Vadra and the Prime Minister. Let them answer first. Then, we will answer all questions from Digvijaya Singh. I request Singh to encourage Mrs Gandhi, Prime Minister or Rahul Gandhi to come for a public debate.

"Let's question each other and let public question us on personal and public issues. Is Digvijay Singh ready? If he cannot convince his party bosses or the PM, then people would think he is doing all this for cheap publicity and to divert attention," Kejriwal said.

He said the leadership did not answer questions on Vadra or Lokpal and he wants Singh to get the answers from the Prime Minister, Vadra and Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

"They can ask us any number of questions about our personal life, we will answer. Then we will ask them...they should also answer in public," he said.

When asked about Singh's remarks that there was evidence against the kin of A B Vajpayee and L K Advani of alleged corruption but Congress will never use that to embarrass them, Kejriwal said his group has been talking about each party protecting others' interest.

"They are not bringing these issues out not on moral grounds but on corrupt grounds. I congratulate Singh for confessing this. He has evidence of corruption against (senior BJP leaders' kin)...BJP has evidence against Vadra and Singh. But both have an understanding," he alleged.