The story so far.

Last week Mr Arvind Kejriwal, India Against Corruption activist, accused Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid and his wife Louise of misappropriation of funds disbursed by the government to a trust run by them called the Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust which distributes wheel chairs and hearing aids to the disabled. A sum of Rs 6.9 million was paid to the trust by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on the basis of a letter written on 24 March 2011 by the Special Secretary at the Department of Disabled Welfare in UP. Trouble is that the man who is supposed to have certified the work done by the trust had already retired in January 2011 and says that his signature has been forged. A similar forged letter in 2009-10 was used to obtain Rs 7.1 million. In response Mr Khurshid said, " Nothing on Rs 7.1 million can be proved... Not a word can be proved. They can scream, scream and scream till they turn blue in their face." No need to scream. Man says it is not his signature, isn't that proof enough? However, proof is at hand. The respected Comptroller and Accountant General of India says that expenses claimed to have been incurred by the Trust were bogus. TOI, 14 October. The CAG says that documents from Khurshid's Trust show that tricycles and hearing aids were purchased in July 2010, while camps were held from January-March 2010, and so could not have been distributed at the camps. Naturally Congress has rushed to protect one of its own. I&B Minster Soni said," There is no question of isolation or not backing ( Khurshid )." Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma said," Salman Khurshid is a responsible person. He is a central minister. He was a central minister earlier as well. .... I don't think a person like Khurshid will do anything for an amount like Rs 7.1 million. If it would have been Rs 710 million, even I would have been serious." Quite. We know that Rs 7.1 million is small change for a minister of the Congress but surely it would cover the salaries of servants, cooks and drivers. A minister has to look after his staff after all. Politicians in India are not used to having to answer questions so Mr Khurshid has now become angry. Speaking to his supporters on 16 October he said," I have been made the Law Minister and asked to work with a pen. I will work with the pen, but also with blood." We are scared to ask what he was working with before being asked to " work with a pen ". He continues," Let them come to Farrukhabad and visit Farrukhabad. But let him also return from Farrukhabad." Presumably speaking about Mr Kejriwal. Continuing further," They say we will ask questions and you have to give answers. We say you hear the answers and forget about asking questions." We ask," Is there any difference between the Congress and the mafia or drug gangs?" Yes. The Congress is more dangerous.