Anti-corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal will stage a march protest towards the prime minister's residence on Friday, demanding the resignation of Law Minster Salman Khurshid over allegations of embezzling funds from his NGO.
"Tomorrow, disabled people will march towards 7, RCR, the official residence of the Prime Minister," a member of Kejriwal-headed India Against Corruption, told Press Trust of India on Thursday.
Kejriwal will be accompanied by differently-abled activists in the protest march, demanding justice for the physically challenged people receiving aid from the Zakir Husain Memorial Trust headed by the law minister and his wife Louise Khurshid in Uttar Pradesh. The couple were accused to have siphoned off ₹71 lakhs from the Trust funds.
The activist had initially planned to organize a "gherao" at Sonia Gandhi's residence over Khurshid's resignation, but changed course after holding talks with the differently-abled activists.
Khurshid's alleged malpractices were exposed in a sting operation by Hindi television channel Aaj Tak on Tuesday, after which Kejriwal called for action against Khurshid and the arrest of his wife.
The news channel reported that the Khurshid and his wife forged signatures and seals of senior state officials to receive grants worth ₹71.5 lakh from the Union Ministry for Social Welfare and Empowerment in 2010-11. Beneficiaries of the Trust reportedly said that they never received the aid meant for the disabled.
Khurshid's Trust claims to provide welfare to the handicapped in 17 districts across Uttar Pradesh. Aaj Tak revealed that a state government inquiry was initially ordered in January to look into the financial irregularities of the Trust.
Denying the allegations, Khurshid threatened to seek legal action against his detractors. Louise claimed that the accusations were "devoid of merit, false, malicious and baseless," and sought Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to conduct a probe that would establish the allegations of forgery as false.
