Kejriwal challenges BJP to follow suit
After taking proactive measures and sacking his own minister on serious charges, Kejriwal challenged the BJP to follow his lead. Kejriwal added that he had ushered a new trend of honest governance by taking the 'suo-moto action' against his own minister. He said that the BJP too should follow it and take action against Rajasthan CM Vasundhra Raje and MP CM Shivraj Chouhan.
Asim Ahmed Khan was sworn in as the minister of Food and Civil Supply, Environment and Forest, Minority affairs and Election in the Delhi government on 14 February 2015. He is a member of the AAP hailing from the Matia Mahal constituency in the 6th Assembly elections. Previously in 2012, he had contested in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections getting 6,300 votes.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal discharged one of his ministers- Asim Khan for purportedly asking for a bribe from a builder, and announced this decision of his at a press conference. He also suggested a CBI level inquiry into case. The Aam Aadmi Party chief, with his deputy Manish Sisodia, played the four audio clips where Asim Ahmed Khan was demanding Rs.6 lakh.
Hours after being dismissed from the Delhi Cabinet, AAP leader Asim Ahmed Khan said that he was appalled and would furnish a comment only after accumulating all information. He appended and said that "conspiracy against me. I will answer all questions soon." Khan said that the discussion with the builder was most likely around "issues of business".
Asim Ahmed Khan has been replaced by Imran Hussain, a first time MLA from Ballimaran in Old Delhi.
Former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav that the audio incriminating Khan had been doing the rounds for over 10-15 days. He attacked Kejriwal for not showing similar prompt action in the Jitendra Tomar fake education degree case and dismissing him. Moreover, he said that instead of taking credit, Kejriwal should explain why tickets were given to such 'elements' in the first place.
Kejriwal's sacking move was mocked by the Congress and the BJP alike. BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad sad that Kejriwal was merely making a spectacle out of the sacking. Even Congress leader Ajay Maken said: "A party which was formed to fight corruption....now one third of its ministers in less than eight months have been caught on corruption and had to be removed,".
