Khurshid in new controversy; IAC says he is like 'mafia don'

New Delhi: Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid, accused of financial wrongdoing by Arvind Kejriwal, was on Wednesday embroiled in a new controversy over his alleged threats against the India Against Corruption (IAC) leader. The IAC said he was behaving "like a mafia don". Khurshid, who has been accused of financial impropriety in the running of his trust, had reportedly said that if Kejriwal decides to go ahead with his November 1 march to Farukkabad, his constituency in Uttar Pradesh, it was doubtful if he would return. The minister has said he was "misquoted".

Kejriwal, addressing a press conference at Constitution Club here, declared he would go to Farukkabad as planned and appealed to people to join him. "With regard to the threat of the minister, I want to say that I will go and also return.. I appeal to people to join us on Nov 1 in Farukkabad," the IAC leader said.

Addressing a meeting in Farrukabad Tuesday, Khurshid had said: "I was told work with a pen and made a law minister.. I will work with a pen, but also with blood." Referring to Kejriwal's threat to campaign against him in Farukkabad, the minister said, "Let him come to Farukkabad, but he should keep in mind that he has to also return," he told cheering supporters.

IAC member Prashant Bhushan said the minister was "behaving like a mafia don". Kejriwal also criticised the minister's use of language against him. In a tweet, Kejriwal posted that Khurshid threatened to kill him and said it would be better that the Congress party "sensed the anger of people and took some concrete steps against corruption". "Whatever he has said does not behove the law minister of the country and if one Arvind dies hundred of Arvinds are there to sacrifice themselves.. The Congress party has lost touch with the country and it is high time the party realized this," he said.

He said that Khurshid "should realize that his life is not in the minister's hands but in god's". The activist-turned-politician is seeking the resignation of Khurshid alleging financial wrongdoing in the running of the Zakir Husain Memorial Trust that provides aids to the physically challenged. The Congress downplayed Khurshid's remarks. Party spokesperson Rashid Alvi said Kejriwal should go to the police to file a complaint if he felt he had been threatened.