Arvind Kejriwal revives anti-corruption helpline
The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government launched its renewed anti-corruption helpline at the Talkatora stadium in Delhi on Sunday.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday launched anti-graft helpline 1031, testing it with a ‘mock call’ against a local food inspector, and promised to make Delhi one of the top five corruption-free cities in the world in five years.
The helpline, one of Aam Aadmi Party’s major poll promises this year, was first launched during its 49-day stint in power after the 2013 assembly elections. It was discontinued later. The helpline, which could earlier cater to only 25% of the calls due to shortage of lines, has undergone a makeover and can now attend 10,000 calls per day against its previous capacity of 1,000.
“We will take action against our own ministers and MLAs if they are found corrupt. Even deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and I will be jailed if found corrupt,” Kejriwal said, launching the helpline at the Talkatora indoor stadium which was packed with his cabinet colleagues, MLAs and a large number of AAP supporters.
The event was AAP’s first public show of strength since senior leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhsuahn publicly rebelled against Kejriwal and were ousted from the party’s parliamentary affairs committee and the national executive.
“Now every citizen is an inspector. If anyone now demands a bribe, do not say no. Record the conversation. We will send them to jail," the chief minister added. He has reportedly asked all government officials to publicise the helpline and allow mobile phones inside their offices.
Sisodia hailed the day as a historic one as it was on this day that Anna Hazare launched his Janlokpal campaign four years ago from Jantar Mantar. “This helpline makes each citizen as powerful as a Kejriwal or a Sisodia. The corrupt will go to jail,” he said.