Ready to face charges, I have not said anything wrong: Kejriwal

Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal today justified his allegation that many members of Parliament, including ministers, were corrupt and rapists, saying he has not said anything wrong and is ready to face charges.

Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal on Monday justified his allegation that many members of Parliament, including ministers, were corrupt and rapists, saying he has not said anything wrong and is ready to face charges.

During Anna Hazare's fast at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, Kejriwal had alleged that 165 parliament members, including 14 ministers, were corrupt and rapists.

His remarks were widely condemned in parliament Monday by all MPs cutting across party lines.

Talking to reporters here Monday, Kejriwal said: "If they want to punish me, they can but it will not serve the purpose."

"I am ready to face charges. I have not said anything wrong. Team Anna is against corruption and not against Parliament, and people who are facing corruption charges will not pass the Lokpal bill," said Kejriwal later in an interview to television news channel CNN IBN.

Congress MP Sajjan Singh Verma, and RJD MPs Rajniti Prasad and Ram Kripal Yadav have already filed a privilege notice against Kejriwal for calling MPs rapists, murderers and looters during an election campaign rally last month.

Asked if Team Anna will join yoga guru Ramdev in his campaign against black money, Kejriwal said: "Baba Ramdev has raised important issue of black money and we support him and he is supporting us. It’s not something like a merger.”

“We have great respect for Parliament, that’s why we are worried about today’s situation in Parliament,” he said.

“We want to spread the movement and want people to join the movement; any one who is against corruption should join it,” he added.