Salman Khurshid hits back, shows photos of camps to counter charges against Trust

NEW DELHI: Law minister Salman Khurshid produced pictures on Sunday to show that camps were held by Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust to distribute equipment to the disabled demolishing the charge that his trust did not hold any camps.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Sunday , the law minister made point-by-point rebuttals of the charges levelled against his trust.

He said that the camps were held in several districts of Uttar Pradesh and produced pictures and witnesses to prove it.

According to a television channel report, the union social welfare and empowerment ministry had granted Rs 71.5 lakh to the Khurshids' NGO for distributing tricycles and hearing aids to the disabled in 17 districts of Uttar Pradesh. While Salman Khurshid is the president of the trust, his wife is the project director. The TV report had claimed that the camps were not held and equipment were not distributed.

The Union law minister claimed a 'reverse sting' on the channel and said that its reporters had offered inducements to some beneficiaries to claim that they had not received any equipment from the trust.

There was a heated exchange during the press conference as the reporters who carried out the sting countered the minister.

Khurshid claimed that no money provided by the Centre had been misused.

Salman showed a utilisation letter mentioning Rs 71.5 lakh.

He showed audited accounts with appliance details for the disabled.

Khurshid showed a picture dated July 17, 2010 to show that UP government official JB Singh was present in one of the camps held by the his trust.

It has been alleged that the signature of JB Singh was forged in an affidavit saying the NGO has done good work.

He sought an independent probe into the allegations of forged letters and the false affidavits that were in question. The Union law minister said since the letters were issued by the UP government only an investigation will prove the charges.

Making an indirect reference to Arvind Kejriwal, Khurshid said that he will not respond to allegations raised by him as he was targeting his party.

The allegations are against a trust which I head and not against my party, he said.

"I don't need to respond to questions raised on the streets," Khurshid said.