Arvind Kejriwal calls BBC corrupt for questioning charge against demonetisation

NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal lost his cool with a BBC reporter who questioned his rationale behind linking 55 deaths to Modi government's demonetisation drive.

Kejriwal, who has been very vocal about his displeasure about the note ban, called the reporter and the channel corrupt after he pointed out that the deaths need to be probed and cannot be attributed directly to the cash drive without proof.

The argument irked the AAP leader considerably.

"Yeh janta dekh rahi hai ke BBC waale kitne imaandaar hain. Fifty-five people have died over the issue (demonetisation) and BBC says we can't link this to demonetisation. This is their honest journalism."




Kejriwal said: "Mujhe sharam aati hai ke aap jaise patrakar yeh kehte hai ke usko link nahi kiya jaa sakta hai."

Kejriwal reiterated that the Centre's demonetisation of high-denomination currency is the "biggest scam in independent India" and demanded its rollback.

Kejriwal claimed the move was aimed at benefiting big corporates by waiving off their bank dues. "It would be anti-national to support demonetisation in its present form."

On November 17, Kejriwal and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee warned of a public revolt if the Centre's decision was not reversed in three days.