New Delhi: In a fresh series of revelations on the Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government in New Delhi, the BJP on Sunday slammed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for claiming to have provided a corruption-free and honest government in New Delhi and Punjab. BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra and Delhi State BJP president Adesh Gupta addressing a joint press conference from the BJP headquarters claimed that they have facts to prove the Kejriwal government was not just lying but misleading the people through their advertisements.
“When the Kejriwal government first came to power they launched an anti-corruption helpline (011-27357169) which was much advertised at that time. When they formed the government for the 2nd time they changed the helpline to 1031 which was under the Vigilance Department of the Delhi government. It was said that the vigilance department will keep a sharp eye on the calls received and the Anti Corruption Department (then under the Vigilance Department) will take prompt action regarding the complaints but the claims made by Aam Aadmi Party and the facts gathered through the RTI are totally different and expose their lies,” said Sambit Patra, BJP spokesperson.
The Anti Corruption Department was later removed from the control of the Vigilance Department of the Delhi Government after which the Aam Aadmi Party addressed the media and presented some data making claims that the helpline received more than 1.25 lakh calls. According to the AAP leaders, most of the calls made to the anti-corruption helpline (1031) were related to the MCD, Delhi Police, Transport Department, and Delhi Jal Board. Based on the calls, around 152 officials were suspended and 35 officials were arrested as claimed by the AAP leadership.
However, according to the revelations made by the BJP leaders based on information received through the RTI, the real data is totally different from what was claimed by the ruling party AAP. “The reply of Delhi Police says that a total of 282 calls were received and only seven cases were registered after that. No arrests were made in these cases. Similarly, the special CP of the Anti Corruption Department on 20th of April 2015 replied that a maximum of 451 calls was received on the helpline and 11 cases were registered,” added Patra.
The helpline 1031 was later closed and during the pandemic period, this number was converted into the COVID helpline by the Delhi Government. “After the formation of their government in Punjab, they are making the similar claims but the reality is that this Aam Aadmi Party only talks about work, creates hype, and does little in real,” said the BJP spokesperson.
Relating the facts presented to the style of functioning of the AAP government in Delhi, BJP state chief Adesh Gupta alleged that there is a high level of corruption in the Delhi government and ministers are themselves involved in some cases which are being investigated by the central agencies. “A trusted aide of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Minister in Delhi Government, Satya Jain is under the scanner of Central Agencies for five years for Hawala transactions worth Rs 16.38 crores. His properties worth Rs 5 crore were recently attached which he bought with money received through Hawala. He formed three shell companies to receive money and bought lands worth crores mostly in North West Delhi. Hawala traders have themselves admitted that they did transactions for the company linked to Minister Satyendra Jain but Kejriwal will never take any action against him because he is the milk fetching cow for him,” said Adesh Gupta.
Adesh Gupta further alleged that since Jain is the PWD minister he has all the information's about future development projects in Delhi, so he bought more than 200 acres (Bigha) of land in Narela, Bawana, and Kanjhawla area and later sold them at higher prices when the area started developing.
Citing another example, the Delhi BJP chief said that the Kejriwal government has failed to justify the expenditure of ₹ 60,000 crores paid to the Delhi Jal Board. The CAG has written 22 letters addressing the Delhi government in the last seven years but so far Kejriwal government has failed to explain where the amount was spent.
“One the Chief Minister said that he will not take government bungalow or car but now he is constructing a swimming pool in his official bungalow with an expenditure of ₹ 21 crores. This proves the difference between what he claims and what he does in reality. There are many such examples,” added Adesh Gupta.
The BJP leaders have also been alleging high-level corruption in the procurement of buses for Delhi Transport Corporation and tenders for the maintenance of the buses. The new excise policy of the Delhi government has also seen fierce protests by the BJP and Congress both alleging the Kejriwal government’s links with some liquor mafia who are now handling the liquor supply and sale in the national capital.
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