An article published in Fountain Ink in its May 2016 issue levels various allegations against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) including corruption, media manipulation, transfer postings and the way the party uses social media to change opinion. The piece also talks about how Kejriwal rules the party with an iron fist and how all leaders are scared of speaking against him. The article claims that no AAP leader replied to calls to answer questions for the article.

While the article has been talked about and circulated widely on social media, AAP leader Aashish Khetan lashed out at the author claiming he was a drunk who had been fired by him from Gulail for turning up drunk at work. He also clashed with journalists Hartosh Singh Bal and Rana Ayub.

Khetan wrote on Twitter: “I had sacked the author of this malicious story from Gulail because he used to come to work drunk. He added: “Show me evidence of corruption. Do innuendos & spiteful remarks attributed to unknown sources amount to journalism? Don't promote a culture of lies & insinuations in the name of journalism. This is wink-wink nudge-nudge trash. Liars & drunks sacked by their previous employers are settling personal scores in the guise of journalism.”

Then he lashed out at Rana Ayub saying: “@RanaAyyub I am not among those who take false charges lying down. One more trashy tweet & I will show what it takes to defend one's honour”

He went on to say: “Here comes out inner truth from sub-conscious mind. He wrote this trash bcz Gulail didn't pay him severance salary. Severance salary was not paid bcz he was found drunk at work on two occasions & had submitted forged reimbursement bills. To settle the scores he wrote this false piece and got @HartoshSinghBal & @RanaAyyub to cheer him from the sidelines. No. I don't have any communication from fountain ink or by this reporter. Am going to write to the publication”

Read the full article here.

I had sacked the author of this malicious story from Gulail because he used to come to work drunk. https://t.co/Gpubz05kyZ — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

Show me evidence of corruption. Do innuendos & spiteful remarks attributed to unknown sources amount to journalism? https://t.co/BkLFICfuWn — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

the magazine makes a serious case against AAP, why did no one from AAP come on record? https://t.co/qn9MAppxOS — Hartosh Singh Bal (@HartoshSinghBal) June 1, 2016

@RanaAyyub I am not among those who take false charges lying down. One more trashy tweet & I will show what it takes to defend one's honour — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

Don't promote a culture of lies & insinuations in the name of journalism. This is wink-wink nudge-nudge trash. https://t.co/MJDWrmvQbT — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

Liers & drunks sacked by their previous employers are settling personal scores in the guise of journalism. https://t.co/pUiT1W0qYe — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

Here comes out inner truth from sub-conscious mind. He wrote this trash bcz Gulail didn't pay him severance salary https://t.co/qI3h2fC5l5 — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

To settle the scores he wrote this false piece and got @HartoshSinghBal & @RanaAyyub to cheer him from the sidelines — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

No. I don't have any communication from fountain ink or by this reporter. Am going to write to the publication https://t.co/xk19XeZF1t — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

Who did Twitter chestbeating? Me or U? Did you care to check facts? Animosities, grudges, jealousy is journalism? https://t.co/abKKSBOsnL — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

I'd like you to know each & everything about me. You have any questions, ask me. I will respond, in chapter & verse https://t.co/ceI6xnlWWW — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

If you want to do politics, then join politics. Requires guts. Don't hold it against me for taking the plunge. https://t.co/7Dj65u0oxP — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

That's again an innuendo. Someone may call owners of Caravan as businessmen. Ask specific Q, will gv specific reply https://t.co/7UEAsSzljq — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

Charges? This is bumkum. fountain ink wl get d reply it deserves. Do your scrutiny, don't fire off others' shoulders https://t.co/rvQD5l8Lu6 — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

This is not called journalism. This is called fishing expedition. Next time before questioning editorial judgment of others, do look inwards — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

What you call frothing, is known as cold logic. Send a questionnaire from Caravan, u will get a comprehensive reply https://t.co/MncKqM3XeT — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

You are ducking, taking shelter behind a disgruntled & discredited reporter. Do your own journalism. https://t.co/Tj90YYYWxE — Ashish Khetan (@AashishKhetan) June 1, 2016

Hartosh Singh Bal wrote:

the magazine makes a serious case against AAP, why did no one from AAP come on record? https://t.co/qn9MAppxOS — Hartosh Singh Bal (@HartoshSinghBal) June 1, 2016

twitter chestbeating? it is out in print, respond to it, not its author. if you think its wrong there are the courts https://t.co/R6GOsDMDSX — Hartosh Singh Bal (@HartoshSinghBal) June 1, 2016

i don' know him from adam, i don't have cheerleaders, that is for politicians like you. https://t.co/HivI6ZvzBm — Hartosh Singh Bal (@HartoshSinghBal) June 1, 2016

a journo's job is to hold up the likes of you to scrutiny. charges are out here, we'll return to your guts later https://t.co/WDJHgRo5eD — Hartosh Singh Bal (@HartoshSinghBal) June 1, 2016

Here's how Twitter reacted:

So, will this piece on AAP government be drowned out? https://t.co/QwF8rJZLUu — Ankur Bhardwaj (@Bhayankur) June 1, 2016

Hey Kejriwalji, is this true? Did someone call it a party against corruption? https://t.co/UYhMx03xXv pic.twitter.com/SMnnmTteSu — Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) June 1, 2016

Dastardly corrupt deals, media manipulation, online stories being managed. All in a days work for AAP https://t.co/iIjY3H8QVD — How Come You (@bwoyblunder) June 1, 2016