Odishatv Bureau
Ghaziabad: Facing allegations of financial misconduct, anti-graft activist Arvind Kejriwal broke his silence on Tuesday daring the government to conduct a probe against him and other Team Anna members even as he questioned the motive behind the "smear campaign".

Defending himself and Kiran Bedi, who is under attack for inflating her travel bills, Kejriwal said, "If someone paid the ticket examiner in Railway because he needed a ticket, so that person cannot question Suresh Kalmadi? Is this the message being given out?

"Do you mean to say that out of 120 crore people, only saints can question UPA`s corruption and government will keep on robbing people? If anybody questions then that person will be asked to look into his case first," he said and warned that if the current smear campaign continues, the next movement will be ten times bigger.

Kejriwal, who was accused by Swami Agnivesh of depositing donations for Hazare agitation in a trust run by him, said if they have committed mistakes, then the government was free to probe and punish them by taking the strongest possible action. "Dont forgive us. Give us twice the punishment given to common people. But bring Lokpal and you will have to," he said.

He lamented that the whole attention is being shifted from corruption movement and Lokpal to Core Committe which has "no importance". "Whether Kiran Bedi paid bills or not has become national issue. It will not benefit the nation. It will be useful when Lokpal will come. Government should understand that their ways and methods are increasing the anger among people," he said.
"If these smear campaign continues, then the people of this country are watching and the next movement will be ten times bigger," he added.

"If Kiran Bedi has committed a crime, hang her. Send her to jail but talk about Lokpal Bill. Whatever mistake she has done, investigate and punish her but we cannot decide it in a press conference whether the allegations are true or false," he said.

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