New Delhi:
Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday dared Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for a public debate with him on issues relating to "inflated" power and water bills and women's safety among others.
AAP leader Kejriwal, who responded to Dikshit's Political Secretary Pawan Khera's letter objecting to targeting the Chief Minister, also rejected charges that he muddied the politics in the national capital.
"I invite you for a public debate. This debate may happen at Ramlila Maidan. Date and time will be of your (Dikshit) convenience. But I know you will not accept this challenge," he said in a letter to the Chief Minister.
In the letter, the AAP leader also asked Dikshit not to give party tickets to politicians who have criminal records.
"In the Delhi Assembly, there are 16 Congress MLAs who are charged with serious criminal offences. How can these people make laws against rape, corruption and murder? Legislative Assembly is like a temple. And presence of such people will spoil the sanctity of the temple," he said.
Khera, in his letter sent five days ago, had asked Kejriwal to refrain from making personal attacks on the Chief Minister which reduce politics to a "cheap gimmick".
Kejriwal said if Dikshit wants clean governance then she must tell Congress not to give tickets to more than one member of a family.
"In India, politics is under the grasp of dynasty and family rule. My sincere request to you is to tell your party not to give tickets to more than one member of a family. I know this might force either you or your son- Mr Sandip Dikshit- to retire from politics," he said.
