New Delhi:The sacking of AAP Social Welfare Minister Sandeep Kumar over an ‘objectionable’ CD today triggered sharp reactions from BJP and Congress, with the saffron party demanding resignation of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal while the latter asked why such members were not expelled.

Reacting to the development, Delhi BJP said Kejriwal must resign accepting responsibility for picking up a “morally corrupt” MLA in the Cabinet.

“He must be rewarded for handing over Delhi’s governance to people with corrupt values,” city BJP leader Vijender Gupta said in a sarcastic tone, adding “This has never happened in any government.”

DPCC president Ajay Maken too attacked the AAP, saying three of the six ministers who were initially inducted were caught for alleged “fake degree, corruption, moral turpitude”.

“But who chose them? Why aren’t they expelled from Party?,” he asked in a tweet.

Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit said, “It is the privilege of the CM to keep the ministers or sack them for whatever reasons, he thinks or believes. I don’t know because Kejriwal has a style of diverting attention from other problems by taking some actions.”

“Privilege of CM but neither I support it nor condemn it.

He is trying to divert attention … and comes out with something sensational,” she said.

Another Congress leader Mukesh Sharma also hit out at AAP and sought the resignation of Kejriwal.

“Prior to this other AAP ministers have also been removed, and now this scandal only shows, that it’s the story of Ali Baba and forty thieves, as there are several others in AAP government, against whom cases are due,” he alleged.

“This government is corrupt and Arvind Kejriwal should immediately resign from his post on moral grounds,” he said.

Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav said, “This is not moral rectitude but a damage control exercise.”

He alleged that the AAP only sacks people when the information becomes undeniable. He said that in case of AAP leader Asif Ahmed Khan, the information was received twenty days ago, but he was sacked only when his case became public.

On Sandeep’s case, he said, he was “shocked” as he was the WCD minister. Yadav said he is ashamed that he was associated with “this gang” at one point of time.

“Not surprised, because the way in which candidates and ministers were chosen, every ethical norm was put in dustbin, and this was expected to happen sooner or later,” he alleged.

Kejriwal sacks minister over ”objectionable” CD

In a sudden move, Delhi’s Social Welfare Minister Sandeep Kumar was today sacked by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after receiving an ‘objectionable’ CD in which he was purportedly shown in a compromising position with a woman.

The decision to remove the 36-year-old minister was taken at a high-level meeting attended by top AAP leaders and the announcement was made by Kejriwal himself through a tweet.

“Received ‘objectionable’ CD of minister Sandeep Kr. AAP stands for propriety in public life. That can’t be compromised. Removing him from Cabinet wid immediate effect,” Kejriwal tweeted.

Sources said the CD purportedly showed Kumar, also Women and Child Development Minister, in a compromising position with a woman.

“The CD came to us half-an-hour back. We saw the CD and took the decision to sack him immediately. AAP has zero tolerance for crime and corruption,” Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters tonight.

Kumar represents Sultanpur Majra constituency. He is the second AAP minister to be sacked after Asim Ahmed Khan who was Minister for Food and Supplies. .

Sources said the decision to sack Kumar was taken at a hurriedly convened meeting of AAP’s Political Affairs Committee at Kejriwal’s residence.

“We will not tolerate any such acts. We have 67 MLAs. If anyone including the Chief Minister is found involved in any wrongdoings, immediate action will be taken as AAP is different from other parties,” said Sisodia.

On October 9 last year, Kejriwal had sacked the then Environment and Food Minister Asim Ahmed Khan for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 6 lakh from a builder and recommended a CBI probe into the case.

In June last year, then Law Minister Jitendra Singh Tomar had resigned after he was arrested on the charge of possessing fake degrees.

Reacting to the development, Delhi BJP said Kejriwal must resign accepting moral responsibility for picking up the morally corrupt MLA in the Cabinet.

“He must be rewarded for handing over Delhi’s governance to people with corrupt values. This has never happened in any government,” said Delhi BJP leader Vijender Gupta.

DPCC president Ajay Maken too attacked the AAP saying three of the six Ministers who were initially inducted were caught for alleged “Fake degree, corruption, moral turpitude.”

“But who chose them? Why aren’t they expelled from Party?,” he asked in a tweet.

Another Congress leader Mukesh Sharma also hit out at AAP and sought the resignation of the Delhi Chief Minister.

“Prior to this other AAP ministers have also been removed, and now this scandal only shows, that it’s the story of Ali Baba and forty thieves, as there are several others in AAP government, against whom cases are due,” he alleged.

“This government is a corrupt and Arvind Kejriwal should immediately resign from his post on moral grounds,” he said.

Meanwhile, Om Prakash, who claimed to have brought the alleged CD to light, said he did not make it but somebody gave it to him.

“Because, I am the block president (he did not clarify his organisation), an unknown person met me in the market, and gave me the CD. I don’t know him,” he told a news channel.

He said he showed the contents of the CD to some people who could not watch it.

“All of them said it is wrong. I got the CD 15 days back.

Today, I showed it to the Lieutenant Governor, then the action was taken,” he said.

PTI