Will move out of official residence during Navratri festival: Kejriwal

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that he would move out of his official residence during the upcoming Navratri festival that begins on October 3In his first public address after tendering his resignation on September 17 the AAP chief also hit out at the BJP for allegedly implicating him in a false case and asserted that he cannot live with the stain of dishonestyI cannot even live let alone work with the stigma of being dishonest If I were dishonest would I have made electricity and bus travel free for women Would I have improved government schools and hospitals he asked the gathering at Jantar Mantar hereReleased on bail from Tihar jail on September 13 after over five months in prison in connection with the excise policy case Kejriwal said that he joined politics to serve the country and not for any greed for power or postAsserting that for the last 10 years the AAP ran government in Delhi with utmost honesty and gave facilities to people like free water and electricity he claimed this irked the BJPTroubled by this Modi ji thought that if they have to win elections and defeat Aam Aadmi Party they should attack our honesty and hence implicated us in a false case and sent us to jail he allegedThe former chief minister also said that he resigned because he was hurt by the corruption allegations against him and added that he had only earned respect not money during the past 10 yearsThe AAP supremo said that leaders do not care about allegations made against them as they have thick skinI am not a leader I do not have thick skin It makes a difference to me When BJP people indulges in mudslinging and levels false allegations against me it hurts meI have only earned respect in my life Today when they accused me of corruption I resigned keeping my dignity in mind and now I will also leave my government accommodation he addedThe AAP supremo further said he would move out of the chief ministers official residence after the shraddh periodI will move out of the residence during Navratri and go to live among the people who have been offering me accommodationToday I do not even have a house to live in I have earned love and blessings of the public in 10 years and because of this love many people are inviting me to stay at their homes he saidThe AAP national convener said he along with other party leaders was charged under the stringent law PMLA in which even bail is not availableBut the case was fake I thank the Supreme Court they gave bail to all of us because they also knew that the case was frivolous When I came out of jail I decided that until the court does not honourably acquit me I will not sit on the CMs chair again But my lawyers told me that this case can drag on for a very long time maybe for 10 to 15 years he said adding that he decided to come in the court of peopleKejriwal said the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls are an agni pariksha trial by fire for him and urged people not to vote for him if they think he is dishonestWaving a broom he asserted it is not only the election symbol of the AAP but also a symbol of faithWhen a person goes to cast his vote and presses the broom button they first close their eyes and take the name of GodWhen they press the broom button they think that they are pressing the button of honesty They are pressing the button to form an honest government Press this broom button only if you think Kejriwal is honest he addedSpeaking about his former deputy Manish Sisodia who spent nearly 17 months in jail in connection with the excise policy case the AAP chief said had he Sisodia been out he would have worked to improve educational facilitiesPrime Minister Modi kept him in jail for two years Had he been out many more schools would have been built he saidModi ji has wasted these two years not of Manish Sisodia but of the country Manishs life belongs to the nation he addedThe former chief minister recalled the India Against Corruption movement which had originated from Jantar Mantar as he began his addressStanding here at Jantar Mantar I am taken back to the days of the India Against Corruption movement which was independent Indias biggest movement It started from here on April 4 2011At that time also there was an arrogant government at the Centre We were challenged to jump into electoral politics We took the challenge and formed government for 49 days in the very first attempt despite not having money or muscle power he recalledAt that time various political parties used to say that AAP candidates except Kejriwal would lose their security deposits he addedThe AAP leader said they had proved that elections could be fought and won on the basis of honestySisodia who also addressed the gathering accused the BJP of trying to separate him from Kejriwal by implicating them in false casesNo Ravan in the world can separate Lakshaman from Ram he addedSisodia revealed attempts were made to sway him against KejriwalLike Kejriwal Sisodia also vowed to return to public office only when the people validate his integrity PTI SLB VIT KVK KVKThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever