Attempt to divert attention from Morbi incident: Kejriwal on conman's claim

Before Punjab polls, they came out with Kumar Vishwas; now, the BJP, due to its poor condition in Gujarat, has produced Sukesh, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday.

New Delhi: The allegations that conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar paid Rs 10 crore to jailed AAP minister Satyendra Jain as protection money are an attempt to divert attention from the Morbi incident, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday. Before Punjab polls, they came out with Kumar Vishwas. Now, the BJP, due to its poor condition in Gujarat, has produced Sukesh. It is also an attempt to divert attention from the Morbi incident, Kejriwal said in response to a question at a press conference.

In a letter addressed to Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, Chandrashekhar has claimed that he paid Rs 10 crore to the jailed minister as protection money. The suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Gujarat's Morbi city collapsed Sunday evening, killing 134 people, a senior police official had said.

In a sign of growing tension between the two sides, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal openly attacked Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena for the first time and accused him of obstructing programmes and schemes of the AAP government. Without naming anybody, Kejriwal alleged that his government's mohalla clinics and schools will be targeted next, but told the people that "your son will stand as a shield".

His allegation comes amid rumours that the LG had not approved extension for 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' scheme, under which free yoga classes are conducted, after October 31. During a press conference here, Kejriwal said by "abusing" him, Saxena was insulting the mandate of two crore people of Delhi. Sources in the LG Secretariat, however, said Saxena's office had not received any file from the government seeking permission to continue the programme.

"I have no issues with the abuses hurled by the Delhi LG towards me. Kejriwal is not important. But when he abuses the Delhi chief minister, he not only abuses me, but insults the faith of two crore people who voted for me. This is not right," Kejriwal said. The Aam Aadmi Party national convener told the people that there will henceforth be attempts to stop mohalla clinics and schools, but "your son will stand as a shield".

"For the last few months, we have been seeing that they are trying to stop various initiatives in Delhi. They did not allow 'Dilli Ki Diwali' and 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign. Now, we are hearing that their next targets are mohalla clinics and school. They will stop tenders of those providing free medicines and tests in mohalla clinics. They will target contractual staff in government hospitals and guest teachers in government schools," Kejriwal alleged.

"I won't let anyone stop the work in Delhi. The LG and BJP can target as much as they want but your son will stand as a shield," he asserted. Last month, Kejriwal had said he had not received as many "love letters" from his wife "in entire life" as he had from the LG in just six months. In response, Saxena had accused Kejriwal and his ministers of running away from their constitutional duties and asked the chief minister to accept his written communication as "Kartavya Patra (letter of duty) from the guardian of the city". (PTI)

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