Chandigarh: In a latest development which could be perceived as a clear outcome of the prevailing anguish among the Aam Adami Party (AAP) supporters over the removal of donors list from the party’s official website in which, an NRI from Chicago USA Dr Munish Raizada- a medical doctor and a former member of the Aam Aadmi Party- has launched a campaign under the banner of “No List No Donation” in which he has asked the party supporters to abstain from making any kind of donation to the party funds unless and until the party put the list of the donors contributing into the party funds back online on their website.
Chicago-based neonatal specialist Dr Munish Raizada has launched a “Chanda Band Satyagrah’ (No Donation Campaign) in Chandigarh [File Photo]
He alleged that: to create a corruption-free India, AAP stated that it would start with an absolute financial transparency. AAP pledged to itself and the public that it would be a purely public funded party and it would provide details of each penny donated to the public.Removing the details of donations to the party is a serious violation of your own principle and the core value. It is a serious breach of trust between the party and its stakeholders (the donors, volunteers, patrons, and supporters)”. Even the veteran leader and anti corruption crusader Anna Hazare has come forward for the support of Dr Raizada.
A written press release by Dr. Raizada reads as follows:
Press Release
January 6, 2017, Chandigarh:
Anna Hazare supports Chanda Bandh Satyagraha against AAP.
Chicago-based Munish Raizada of AAP announces Chanda Bandh Satyagraha (No List: No Donation campaign) in Punjab starting next week.
It was started in Delhi at Raj Ghat on Dec. 24,2016. In last 10 days in Delhi, the campaign has distributed over 1 Lakh handbills and over 20 thousand people havetaken the pledge not to donate to AAP unless it makes its donations public.
Munish Raizada- a medical doctor and a suspended member of AamAadmi Party-has called for a Satyagraha since AamAadmi Party (AAP) has refused to make details of donations public. Earlier, he had written an open letter to AAP on the Foundation Day (November 26) with an appeal to disclose donations of the party in a week time.
It may be noted that AamAadmi Party has taken down the list of donations from itswebsite since June, 2016. It coincided with the party receiving 3 notices from Income Tax Department asking for explanation of certain discrepancies. The notice states, “The donation entries in the AAP website don't match the Election Commission records, please furnish documentary evidences to explain the issue.”
Raizada stated that AAP came into being with a claim that it would be a truly public funded party and will honestly put all its donations in the public domain. It was this core principle that attracted thousands of people to volunteer for the party.
Raizada had quit his medical career in USA and devoted time to the party from 2013 to 2015 in India. He worked in various capacities within the party. He was suspended in November 2015 for raising issues in the public.Raizada has demanded 4 specific conditions to be met:
1. Put all donations in public domain, donations should be searchable by name (and not only via receipt number),
2. Missing Balance Sheets after 2014 to be made public and inquiry to be ordered in the dubious donations of Rupees Two Cr that the party received in 2014.
3. Kejriwal had promised an inquiry in to this if came in to power. Raizada believes that by hiding donations made to the party, AAP is lending credence to the speculations that it may be consuming black money.
4. It is high time that Kejriwal ‘De-monetizes’ the hidden money within the party by displaying transparent funding. Raizada says that since the party has not come clean on the funding issue, volunteers, members, and supporters have no option but to launch a Satyagraha by take a pledge not to donate any further.
Anna Hazare could not be contact for his comments.