As the Income Tax Department swooped down on Shiv Sena corporator Yashwant Jadhav, the Aam Aadmi party called him one of India's most corrupt politicians.
"Every Mumbaikar has experienced corruption first-hand, no matter which department of the BMC, their interaction has been with. By virtue of being BMC's Standing Committee chairman, Yashwant Jadhav is by far one of the most corrupt politicians, not just in Mumbai and Maharashtra, but in India," the party said.
"The allegations of improprieties in Covid management are just the tip of the iceberg. The devil is in the detail, and the real corruption is in the contracts, which are routinely passed by the Standing Committee. The BJP and Congress are also equal party to the loot through BMC's corruption, and the Standing Committee is notorious for the 'understanding' between its members, as regards their share of kickbacks from contractors.", said Ruben Mascarenhas, AAP Mumbai Working President.
The party further condemned the ED and said that if the agency cares about corruption, they must also go after the BJP and the Congress members of the Standing Committee, which are equal partners in the wholesale corruption that takes place in the Standing Committee.
"This is just another part of the BJP's pre-election theatrics. The IT Department will raid a few people, maybe some are arrested, but no one will be convicted, and ultimately, no one will go to jail. If Yashwant Jadhav joins the BJP, he will immediately be absolved of all wrongdoings and crime. This is the standard playbook that Mumbaikars have been witnessing year after year, election after election. Mumbaikars are a first class people with a third class government. We deserve better, and in the upcoming BMC elections, the Aam Aadmi Party will provide that viable non-corrupt alternative that people so desperately need." said Preeti Sharma Menon, National Executive Member and Mumbai Prabhari.
