Hitting back at BJP on the party funding issue, the Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday alleged that the saffron party received 75% of its funds from unknown sources and also accepted donations from a Goa based businessman, whose name cropped up in a black money case.
"It is a classic case of pot calling the kettle black, in which the party which has three-fourth of its donations from hidden sources is levelling absurd allegations on AAP, which has introduced the concept of transparent political funding in the country," AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said.
The party is filing a criminal defamation suit against BJP, which has alleged that AAP was diverting funds from NGOs of its leaders. BJP also alleged that AAP has not disclosed the names of its donors.
"Is it not a fact that on March 29 this year, the Delhi High Court found BJP guilty of receiving foreign funds in violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act? Is it not a fact that BJP has accepted donations of Rs 1.18 crore from the owner of Goa-based private company, who was recently named by the central government in its list of black money account holders abroad?" he alleged.
The AAP leader also claimed the BJP accepted donations from another foreign company. "Is it not a fact that BJP received Rs 19,42,50,000 as foreign funds between 2004 and 2012 and can it deny that 75 per cent of its donations come from unknown sources?" Yadav alleged.
He asked BJP to prove its "motivated" and "uninformed" allegations and AAP was ready for any probe by any agency in the matter. Party chief and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has also challenged BJP to disclose the list of their donors as his party has done and accused the saffron party of "terrorising" those who have donated money to AAP.
He also took a jibe at the media for "arbitrary coverage" of the allegations levelled by the ruling party. "Media has widely covered arbitrary and baseless allegations by BJP against our funding. We are filing criminal defamation against BJP.
"I have been challenging BJP and Congress to disclose their list of donors (the way we do). Would media give similar coverage to us? For the first time, a political party (is) trying transparent funding n disclosing its list of donors.
BJP trying to terrorise our donors. Fair?" the AAP chief wrote on micro-blogging website Twitter. AAP had organised lunch for traders, with an entry fee of Rs 20,000. The party collected a whopping sum of Rs 50 lakh.
In a similar event held in Mumbai last Thursday, the party had fetched Rs 91 lakh, taking the total to Rs 1.41 crore in just two such events.
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