Panaji: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has refused to back down from his controversial bribe remark saying the Election Commission should thank him and make him its brand ambassador instead of censuring him.
“The Election Commission with all its efforts has not been able to curb money power and bribes... The parties who offer money (to voters) will realise that their money will be taken but they won't get the votes,” Kejriwal told CNN News18.
His comments come a day after the Election Commission censured the AAP leader for asking voters to accept money from all parties, but vote for the Aam Aadmi Party. The election watchdog has said that if he continues to violate the Model Code of Conduct, stern action would be taken against him and his party, including suspension or withdrawal of recognition to AAP.
The AAP chief has termed as "illegal, unconstitutional and wrong" the EC order censuring and warning him. "I would be challenging the Election Commission's order," PTI quoted him as saying.
In his reply to the poll panel, Kejriwal had not denied making the remarks and had maintained that he had neither offered any bribe to any elector nor enticed the voters to accept any pecuniary benefit from any person.
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
He had said there was nothing in his statement which could be construed to mean abetment to offence of bribery or violating any provision of MCC.
But the Commission rejected his stand and recalled a similar warning issued to him during the 2015 Delhi Assembly polls for making similar statements.
The panel recalled that in his reply, the AAP leader had made "unqualified promise" not to make such appeals during the period the model code was in force.
(With agency inputs)
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