Going a step further in his defence of Delhi minister Satyendar Jain, currently in ED custody in a money laundering case, AAP convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said that the former should should be awarded the Padma Vibhushan for giving the ‘mohalla clinics’ model that treats people free of cost.
Kejriwal defended Jain as a “hardcore honest and patriot” person who was being framed in a “false case” and hoped the minister will come out clean after the ED probe.
“The country should be proud him as he gave the model of Mohalla Clinic that are being visited by people from the world, including (ex) Secretary General of the UN. He gave a health model that treats people free of cost.
“I think, he should be given top awards like the Padma Bhushan or Padma Vibhushan,” Kejriwal added.
Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Monday in a money laundering case dating back to 2015-16. On Tuesday, a Delhi court sent the Delhi health minister to ED custody till June 9 after the probe agency contended that he was not cooperating in the investigation.
Asserting that the charges levelled against Jain were “completely false”, Kejriwal had earlier said he himself would have taken action against the minister if there was even one percent truth in the charges against him.
The Aam Aadmi Party has alleged that the probe agency was acting at the behest of the central government, since the BJP was afraid of losing the upcoming Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh. The AAP is contesting the assembly elections in the hill state this time and has appointed Jain as the party’s poll in-charge there.