Allegations fly thick and fast as Mishra continues fast, AAP MLA detained

New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) Sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra's indefinite fast against the AAP on Saturday saw high drama with a ruling party legislator attempting a counter fast outside the former's house, but was detained by police.

Sanjeev Jha, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator from Burari, attempted to hold a counter hunger strike outside Mishra's Civil Lines house to demand that he present proof of his bribery allegations against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Jha was detained by the police, who said the legislator did not have the requisite permission.

Mishra, who began his hunger strike on Wednesday, accused Kejriwal of using Jha as a pawn to disrupt his agitation. He insisted that he will present proof of his allegations only to investigative agencies.

He is on fast demanding that Kejriwal reveal the source of funding of the foreign trips of five AAP leaders - Sanjay Singh, Ashish Khetan, Satyendar Jain, Raghav Chadhha and Durgesh Pathak - in the last two years.

"I would like to advise Jha against sitting on a hunger strike as he is being used as a pawn," said Mishra, and alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will resort to "new drama" to distract attention from the "foreign trips controversy".

"They must know that I will handover the evidence only to investigative agencies. But Kejriwal wants that I hand them over to the 'thief' who then will judge himself and then proclaim himself to be innocent (referring to Kejriwal). That is not going to happen," he asserted.

AAP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia dubbed Mishra's hunger strike as "BJP facilitated".

Mishra declared that Kejriwal's attempts to foil his "Satyagraha" will not be successful.

Mishra alleged that the Chief Minister has asked "at least 20" MLAs to launch hunger strikes to counter him "but only one (Jha) was willing".

He said that Jha should be provided security, alleging that there could be an attack on Jha to portray Mishra in bad light.

"I would urge the police to provide security to Jha. Those who can attack me can go to any extent to prove me wrong," said Mishra, who was hit by a man on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a team of doctors examined Mishra and advised immediate hospitalisation, but he refused.

"He needs immediate hospitalisation but has refused to do so. We have asked him to drink more water," said a doctor.

Mishra on Friday too had refused hospitalisation despite his weakening condition. Mishra said he will drink only water during his fast.

Jha has accused Mishra of "lying" and declared he will join the agitation if he can prove his allegation of having seen Health Minister Satyendar Jain handing over Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal at his residence.

"If Mishra can prove his allegations to be true, I will myself join him in demanding Kejriwal's resignation as the Chief Minister," Jha told the media.

He also wrote a letter demanding to know when and how did he go to Kejriwal's residence when he saw the Chief Minister being handed over the cash.

"It has been six days that you levelled the allegation, but have not presented any proof. Rather you have been changing your statements. It proves that you have been lying," Jha said in the letter which was uploaded on social media sites.

Mishra in his reply, said he has the evidence and will hand them only to probe agencies.

Sisodia said the fact that police refused to let Jha hold a counter agitation goes to prove that the Bharatiya Janata Party was behind Mishra's hunger strike.

"Police have not allowed Jha's hunger strike, which he wanted to launch demanding proof of Mishra's allegations. It is evident that (his) Mishra's hunger strike is being facilitated by the BJP," Sisodia told the media.