Premium bus scheme: AAP protests outside Gupta's residence

Accusing BJP of "misusing" Lt Governor's office by stalling launch of premium bus scheme, the AAP today staged a protest outside the residence of Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta, on whose complaint ACB has launched a probe into the Delhi government's proposed scheme.
The party alleged the BJP was stalling the premium bus scheme.
Late last month, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung had refused to give a go-ahead to the AAP government's ambitious 'app-based premium bus service' on the ground that his approval was not taken before its launch.
Later, the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of Delhi Government has launched a probe into the premium bus service scheme notified by the Arvind Kejriwal dispensation on the complaint of Gupta who alleged that the AAP government is "trying to benefit" a Gurgaon-based private bus aggregator.

AAP MLAs Raghvendra Shoken, Rakhi Birla, Ved Prakash, Jarnail Singh, Sanjeev Jha and party's youth wing chief Ankush Narang, along with others held protests outside Gupta's residence.
"The BJP is misusing the Lt Governor's office by stalling the premium bus scheme," AAP's Delhi unit convener Dilip Pandey said.

Hitting back, Gupta said the AAP was "blackmailing" him, as he had complained the ACB to probe the matter.
"First they withdrew my staff and now they are protesting outside my house. The Assembly session is coming. So let them discuss the issue on the floor of the House. But they will not do that," Gupta said.

The Delhi government has maintained that Gupta, who earlier had a staff strength of 15, now has eight personnel.
Alleging corruption in the MCD's pension scheme, AAP had accused Gupta's wife and corporator Shobha of recommending "illegal and unfit cases".
"Will Vijender Gupta, who is so prompt in approaching the ACB against AAP government and its MLAs, ask the anti-graft agency to probe his wife and other BJP leaders," Pandey said.
Gupta said his wife had indeed recommended a 72-year-old, who was 54 per cent disabled for pension.
"As a corporator she had approached my wife for recommending her for pension. The woman had said that she has no income, but her husband was a pensioner. So he did not get the pension. More importantly, the verification is to be done by the authorities.

"The AAP is trying to blackmail me as I have lodged a compliant against the premium bus scheme," Gupta said.