BJP wants income tax department to probe Aam Aadmi Party's funding

NEW DELHI: With Aam Aadmi Party claiming it has collected Rs 1.5 crore at fund-raisers in Mumbai and Delhi, BJP's city unit wants Union finance minister Arun Jaitley to direct the income tax department to investigate AAP's funding process. On Monday, BJP accused AAP of not being transparent in its dealings and laundering black money in the garb of party funds.

"Since they claim they are transparent in their dealings, why don't they put details of who donated at the two events online? They should tell people about the 200 people who have donated,'' said Delhi BJP general secretary and South Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri.

Senior BJP members alleged AAP is funded by foreign organizations keen to create unrest in the country. Bidhuri said the fact that AAP is not disclosing details of donors shows it has something to hide. "We will ask the finance minister to direct the I-T department to check AAP's funding. All parties get their audit done. Has AAP really got donation, or is it diverting funds received by its NGOs from foreign organizations?'' said Bidhuri.

While election dates have not been announced in Delhi, AAP has started its election campaign. BJP members raised questions about AAP's hoardings and banners pasted across the city, and its radio campaign. "On one hand, they are hosting fund-raisers to contest elections, and on the other, they are spending lavishly on outdoor campaigns. This shows the discrepancy in their accounts,'' said Ashish Sood, general secretary, Delhi BJP.

BJP members raised questions about the funding received by AAP member Manish Sisodia's NGO. "Both Kejriwal and Sisodia share a good relationship with Congress and foreign organizations. Sisodia's NGO got registered in 2007 but it received Rs 44 lakh from abroad in 2005. As per rules, an unregistered NGO can't receive funds. But in 2005, the then Congress government gave special permission to Sisodia's NGO to receive foreign funds," said Ashwini Upadhyay, spokesperson, Delhi BJP.

Dismissing BJP's claim as trash, AAP spokesperson Atishi Marlena said, "We don't respond to trash, particularly from spokespersons of political parties which have been held guilty by none less than Delhi high court for having accepted foreign funds from Vedanta. AAP is proud of its transparent funding pattern, and if anyone has a problem, they should file a complaint with everyone from the income tax department to Election Commission of India."