The BJP on Tuesday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of lying to the Election Commission by not revealing the exact amount of funds it received through donations.
"Kejriwal and his party have lied to that institution, which acts as a watchdog for political parties," Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Manoj Tiwari said at a press conference here.
Citing a news report by CNN-News18 channel on Monday night, Tiwari said, "CNN-News18 in its report showed discrepancies in the donations that AAP received. We also probed and were shocked to find the details.
"We were shocked that the AAP lied not only to the Income Tax department but also to the Election Commission," the BJP leader said.
"The AAP in its affidavit to the Income Tax (IT) department in 2013-14 said that it received Rs 50.64 crore donation, while on its website it disclosed that it received Rs 19.82 crore," Tiwari, who also represents the northeast parliamentary constituency of Delhi, said.
"They informed the Election Commission that they received only Rs 6 crore donation in 2013-14," Tiwari alleged.
"Was it the money which Kapil Mishra saw you (Kejriwal) receiving from Satyendar Jain (Health Minister)?" Tiwari asked.
Attacking the AAP and its national convenor Kejriwal, Tiwari said, "They again lied in 2014-15, as in their affidavit to IT department they claimed that they only received Rs 65.52 crore as donation, while on their website it was mentioned that they received Rs 27.48 crore," he said.
"Where did the rest of Rs 40 crore go? Is it the same money which is being converted into white?" Tiwari questioned.
"We are going to EC at 4 p.m. today to complain against them," Tiwari said.
The BJP leader said the AAP is a "gang of fraudsters", where if anyone raises his voice is ousted from the party.
Tiwari also accused the AAP-led Delhi government of betraying the people of Delhi who voted for a corruption free government.
"People of Delhi voted for a corruption free government, but what did they get in return -- betrayal, corruption, loot, lies, hawala and bribery," Tiwari said.
The AAP is in the throes of a crisis with its sacked Water Minister Kapil Mishra alleging corruption by Kejriwal and other senior leaders.
The AAP has termed the allegations of Mishra "baseless".
Mishra on Monday evening was suspended from the party.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)