Holding a mirror to the ruling BJP at the Centre, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday mounted a two-pronged attack by initiating action against one of his ministers for alleged corruption and taking a strong stand against the lynching of a Muslim man in Dadri (Uttar Pradesh) on suspicions of beef-eating.

Sacking Delhi Environment and Food and Supplies Minister Asim Ahmed Khan from his Cabinet, Kejriwal said the move is part of the AAP’s internal mechanism to check corruption.

While the BJP has refused to act on corruption charges against its Chief Ministers Vasundhara Raje in Rajasthan and Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Madhya Pradesh, the AAP has taken suo motu action against its minister, he said.

On the lynching of an elderly Muslim man in Dadri on the outskirts of Delhi, Kejriwal took a strong stand, using this incident to highlight the “two different kinds of development models” being presented by the BJP and AAP.

Kejriwal had visited the family of the victim, and has been running a radio campaign in Delhi against hate politics.

Attacking the ruling BJP, he said some political parties “use” the youth to instigate riots and spread hatred by keeping them unemployed and uneducated.

Two models “Two models of politics are emerging in this country. You have to decide which model you support. First model — keep the youth unemployed and uneducated and use them in riots and spread hatred.

“Some parties doing this kind of politics. Second model — give education, skill and jobs to youth and channelize their energy positively. The AAP is doing this politics to unite India,” he said.

Kejriwal sacked his minister Khan after an audio clip of his conversation with a builder, from whom he was asking a bribe, came to his attention. Kejriwal, announcing the decision to remove Khan at a press conference, said Imran Hussain, first time MLA from Ballimaran, will be the new face in his cabinet.

The Delhi government had received allegations against Khan last night, that he demanded money from a builder to continue the construction of a building in his constituency Matia Mahal, said Kejriwal.

“There was a mediator between the builder (who paid the bribe amount) and the Minister,” the CM said.

CM removal Asking the BJP to follow this example, Kejriwal demanded the removal of Raje and Chouhan for their alleged involvement in graft.

“We will not spare anyone, be it Minister, MLA or officer. Just give us evidence and we will remove the culprit the moment such charges are brought to our notice,” the Chief Minister said.

“It was not a result of media expose. There will be no compromise with corruption. The decision has been taken with a heavy heart as there was a lot of trust involved.

“THe’s being removed till the CBI probe is on,” he said.

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