Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday lashed out at the Election Commission after it censured him for his statement that voters should take the money offered by rival parties but vote for AAP.
“I don’t understand what the Election Commission is up to. It can’t stop the bribery, money is being given and taken all around (charo taraf jam ke paisa chal raha hai),” he said.
“The commission wants to say that don’t do what Kejriwal is saying — take their money but vote for me. Election Commission wants to say that vote for only those from whom you are taking the money,” he said, after addressing a corner meeting in Shiroda Assembly constituency in Goa.
He also tweeted reiterating that he had not said anything wrong.
I didn't say anything wrong. I said- "paise unse lo, vote hame do". How is this bribery? Does EC want me to say-"jo paise de, usko vote do?" https://t.co/JzTee8Pd6l
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 21, 2017
The AAP chief termed as “illegal, unconstitutional and wrong” the EC order censuring and warning him. “I would be challenging the Election Commission’s order,” he said.
Defending himself, Kejriwal said, “I am just telling the people that if Congress and BJP give you money, take it but vote for me. Where is the corruption in this? If I had said take money from me and vote for me, then it would have amounted to corruption. I have given a written reply to the EC.”
He also said that he had made a similar statement during the Delhi elections and EC issued him a notice, but the court said it did not amount to corruption.
“I think the EC should make it its slogan, ‘don’t give vote to those who pay you, give vote to those who don’t pay you’. ECI should take some big artist like Aamir Khan to spread the message that don’t give vote to those who give you the money,” Kejriwal added.
(With PTI inputs)