Page 20 - Aap Government

AAP launches outreach campaign to directly connect with Delhi voters

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday kicked off the 'Aapka Vidhayak, Aapke Dwar' campaign to highlight the work done in the past five years under Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's leadership. With Delhi Assembly elections on the horizon, the AAP has launched an outreach campaign aiming to directly connect with voters across all 2,800 zones within a month. Senior party leader Dilip Pandey outlined the campaign's goals, highlighting the extensive meetings already held across key constituencies. Under this campaign, the AAP held meetings in Shalimar Bagh, Bawana, Palam, Mehrauli, Sultanpuri, Brijwasan, Kondli, Vikaspuri, Madipur, Timarpur, Timarpur Zone on the first day. The Timarpur MLA added that under the AAP's outreach campaign for the assembly polls, the organisation structure of all party workers, from the top to bottom level, is being re-evaluated. In this sequence, so far, party workers' conferences have been organised in 65 out of 70 assembly constituencies of Delhi, he said.

BJP protests against Kejriwal over high power bills, water woes in slums

The Delhi BJP on Sunday protested against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over allegedly high electricity bills and dirty water in slums of East Delhi's Chitra Vihar. City BJP president Virendra Sachdeva led the protest and alleged the people of the area face lack of basic facilities. They also have to pay high power and water bills, and they get dirty water. "What is the mistake of these slum-dwellers that they are getting this dirty water? They live in Delhi where Kejriwal makes false promises. He does not fulfil any promise," Sachdeva said. Responding to the allegations, the AAP said the BJP must end "such theatrics" as they are responsible for the woes of slum-dwellers. "The BJP rendered Delhi's 'jhuggi' dwellers homeless through large-scale demolition drives by its agencies, including the Delhi Development Authority, Railways, and the Archaeological Survey of India," an AAP leader told PTI. Shyam Bai, a slum dweller, told PTI Videos that "the problem is that we are not getting

AAP cries councillor Ram Chander 'kidnapped'; BJP rubbishes claim

The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday accused the BJP of "kidnapping" its councillor Ram Chander, with the saffron party denying the charges even as the "abducted" member returned to his residence. Upon his return, Chander claimed that he was threatened on the pretext of being framed in ED-CBI cases by the opposition outfit. Ram Chander, who is a councillor from Ward No 28, was one of the five members who joined the BJP last Sunday. However, a few days later, he had a change of heart after he saw Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in his dream and returned to AAP, he said. Later, in a video message, he said that he was taken by some people to BJP headquarters. "There they threatened me saying I would be framed by ED and CBI. My son Akash called the police helpline while our senior party leaders called the police commissioner. When they (BJP) got to know about it, they sent me back home," Chander said in the video message. "I want to tell BJP, I am not scared of ED and CBI. I have done .

Crime rate, rising debt likely to dominate 3-day Punjab Assembly session

The three-day session of the Punjab Assembly slated to begin from Monday is going to be anything but calm with the opposition parties set to seek accountability from the AAP-led government on law and order and rising state debt. The session of the Vidhan Sabha will start with obituary references and wind up on September 4. Congress leader and MLA Aruna Chaudhary said her party will raise the issue of deteriorating law and order in the state. "Deteriorating law and order is one of the biggest issues. Everyday incidents related to snatching, theft and extortion are taking place in the state," alleged the Dinanagar MLA. Chaudhary also accused the government of failing to fulfil its promise of giving Rs 1,000 per month to every woman. "The AAP government deceived women in Punjab." Congress MLA Sukhwinder Singh Kotli said, "The AAP government had promised to set up 18 colleges in the state. Two and half years of the AAP regime have passed but they could not procure land for setting up

AAP will win all 70 seats if Delhi Assembly polls held now: Manish Sisodia

Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia on Saturday asserted that his party will win all 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly if elections are held now. Speaking during his 'Padyatra' campaign in Rajender Nagar Assembly constituency, the former deputy chief minister of Delhi also attacked the BJP, accusing it of putting him and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in jail in "fake" cases. Recalling the "affection" he received during his campaign in different parts of the city, Sisodia said, "The Aam Aadmi Party will win all 70 Assembly seats if polls are held right now and get 70 per cent of the total votes." Delhi Assembly polls are due in February next year. AAP had won 62 out of 70 seats in the last assembly election but failed to open its account in the national capital in the recent Lok Sabha election. "The BJP people were troubled by the love and affection people were showing over me," said Sisodia who was released earlier this month after spending 17 months in Tihar jail following his arrest i

Centre appoints senior IAS officer Dharmendra as Delhi chief secretary

The Centre on Saturday appointed senior IAS officer Dharmendra as the new Delhi government chief secretary. Dharmendra, a 1989-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the AGMUT cadre, was Arunachal Pradesh chief secretary before being transferred to Delhi. He is among the senior-most Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre officers and is taking charge as the Delhi chief secretary ahead of the assembly polls due in February. "With the approval of the competent authority, Dharmendra, IAS (AGMUT 1989), is hereby transferred from Arunachal Pradesh to Delhi and posted as chief secretary, GNCTD, wef 01.09.2024 or with effect from the date of joining, whichever is later," according to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs order issued on Saturday. Incumbent Naresh Kumar, a 1987-batch officer, who was given two extensions in the past, completes his tenure on August 31. Dharmendra's appointment came on the day his predecessor's three-month extended tenure

BJP MLAs meet Prez Murmu, seek Kejriwal govt's dismissal, AAP slams move

A delegation of Delhi BJP MLAs met President Droupadi Murmu here on Friday to seek the dismissal of the AAP government over the "constitutional crisis" in the wake of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's imprisonment. Hitting out at the BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused it of having no regard for the Constitution and accepting defeat even before elections are held in the national capital. The BJP delegation headed by Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta submitted a memorandum to the president and formally appealed to her for urgent intervention in the ongoing "constitutional crisis plaguing Delhi". It also raised concerns over the functioning of the AAP government, according to a statement issued by Gupta. The AAP government has "lost all moral rights to govern and has blatantly deceived the mandate" given to it by the people of Delhi, said the memorandum. Gupta said the main issue of "paralysis of governance" was Kejriwal being in jail for more than four mon

Govt will give special grants to villages with drug-free status: Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Wednesday said his government will give special grants to the villages that attain the drug-free status, as he inaugurated a new office for the state's apex anti-drug unit. Speaking after inaugurating the new office of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) in Mohali, the chief minister said his government is committed to make Punjab a drug-free state. "The state government will give special grants to the drug-free villages across Punjab," he said. These grants will be used for the promotion of sports and sporting infrastructure in villages, helping channelise the unbounded energy of the youth in a positive direction, he said. Already players from Punjab have brought laurels for the country in events like the Olympics, he said, adding youths from the state will bag more medals. On the occasion, he also launched anti-drug Helpline and WhatsApp Chatbot (9779100200), according to an official statement. Speaking after inspecting the newly constructed

K Kavitha vows to 'return with interest' against those behind her arrest

BRS leader K Kavitha on Tuesday vowed to "return with interest" against those behind her arrest in the Delhi liquor policy case, striking a defiant tone after being released on bail following over five months in judicial custody. Addressing media at the BRS party office here, Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, said, "I will return with interest to those who put me and my family through this ordeal. Our time will come." The BRS leader, who appeared emotional after reuniting with her family, insisted on her innocence and said her arrest as politically motivated. "Only because of politics, I was put behind bars. I made no mistake. I will fight and prove I'm innocent," Kavitha declared after coming out of the Tihar jail. "I am Telangana's daughter, KCR's daughter. I cannot commit a mistake. I am stubborn and good," she added. Kavitha acknowledged the personal toll of her incarceration, stating, "Being separated from my family and children for ...

Money generated in excise scam used as per wishes of Kejriwal: CBI to court

The CBI on Tuesday claimed before a Delhi court that the money generated from the excise "scam" was spent according to the wishes of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who promised Rs 90 lakh to each candidate of his party in the 2022 Goa assembly elections. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) made the submission before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, who extended the judicial custody of Kejriwal in the case of alleged corruption till September 3. The CBI urged the court to take cognisance of a charge sheet that it has filed against Kejriwal and others. Money has been spent according to the wishes of Kejriwal...the entire money was sent in the funds of AAP. He had promised Rs 90 lakh to be given to each candidate of each constituency and there are 40 constituencies in Goa, the CBI told the court, which reserved the order on whether to take cognisance of the charge sheet for September 3. The CBI told the court that Vijay Nair, a co-accused and former AAP communication in-charge, was

Delhi health minister highlights doctors shortage, slams L-G for inaction

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on Tuesday said there is a shortage of nearly 30 per cent of doctors and specialists at many hospitals, but no efforts have been made to fill these critical vacancies despite repeated requests to the lieutenant governor. He said excuses such as the unavailability of the chief minister and the lack of an NCCSA meeting, are being cited by the LG's office to delay appointment for these positions. Bharadwaj's statement came during a press meet here where he also discussed the series of measures taken by Delhi government to combat the spread of dengue. "We have requested that warnings and awareness announcements be made across all metro stations, bus stations and other public transport hubs to inform people about dengue prevention," the minister said. Emphasising that it is very important that all government hospitals in the city are fully equipped to handle dengue cases, Bhardwaj said he directed several actions to the health secretary but was uns

Delhi excise case: Court extends Kejriwal's judicial custody till Sep 3

A Delhi court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a corruption case related to the alleged excise scam till September 3. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja extended Kejriwal's custody after he was produced before the court through video conference on expiry of the judicial custody granted earlier. The court is currently hearing arguments on whether to take cognisance of a supplementary charge sheet filed against Kejriwal by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

SC adjourns hearing on Vijay Nair's bail plea in Delhi excise policy scam

The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing on the bail plea of former Aam Aadmi Party communication in-charge Vijay Nair in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. A bench of justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti deferred the matter after the counsel for the ED sought a weeks' time for filing a counter affidavit. "Reluctantly, time prayed for is granted," the bench said. The top court had issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on August 12 on the plea of Nair while noting that he has been in custody for two years. Appearing for Nair, senior advocates Abhishek Singhvi and Vikram Chaudhary submitted before the court on August 12 that he was arrested on November 13, 2022, and he has challenged the trial court's July 29 order dismissing his default bail plea. Earlier, on July 3 last year, the high court refused to grant bail to Nair and other co-accused in the money laundering case. The money laundering case stems from a Central Bureau

Delhi Mohalla buses still far from being deployed as vehicles yet to arrive

Delhi residents may have to wait a little longer to board Mohalla buses as the transport department is still working to finalise routes and is yet to get the vehicles. According to officials, Delhi Transport Corporation and Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) will soon start trial run on two new routes -- Indian Airline colony/Priya Cinema to Lok Kalyan Marg Metro Station and Lok Kalyan Marg to Vasant Vihar. The trial on two routes -- Pradhan Enclave Pushta to Majlis Park Metro Station and Akshardham Metro Station to Mayur Vihar Phase III Paper Market -- is already going on. "The DTC and DIMTS will be starting trial run on two new routes to gain further insights. There are 16 depots that have been built for parking and maintenance of these buses. The work for installing charging infrastructure is going on at these depots and will take time. "There has been a delay in the arrival of buses from the company. The department was targeting to launch these buses by the en

AAP to launch 'Aap ka vidhayak, aap ke dwaar' from Sep 1 for Delhi polls

The AAP will launch a campaign 'AAP ka vidhayak, aap ke dwaar' from September 1 to reach out to people as the party gears up for the Delhi Assembly polls due early next year. Following a meeting of senior party leaders to chalk out the strategy for the polls, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak said the campaign will be intensified in the days to come. "There was a detailed discussion on various aspects related to governance, political scenario and each assembly constituency in Delhi. Manish Sisodia's 'padyatra' has been getting a very positive response," Pathak, who is also the party's national general secretary (organisation), told reporters after the meeting. "Wherever he is going people are coming out and saying 'you have been faced a lot of injustice'. We will continue these padyatras," he added. The party will also be rolling out its campaign 'AAP ka vidhayak, aap ke dwaar' from September 1 wherein the MLAs will hold meetings at the 'mandal' level and booth level where there wi

Delhi magistrate court extends Bibhav Kumar's judicial custody till Sept 13

A court here on Saturday extended the judicial custody of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar till September 13. Kumar is accused of assaulting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Maliwal on May 13 at the chief minister's official residence. Judicial Magistrate Gaurav Goyal extended the custody after Kumar was produced through video conferencing. The magistrate also sought a response from the investigation officer regarding Kumar's plea seeking proper pagination of the chargesheet and documents provided to his advocate. Kumar's counsel Rajat Bhardwaj said the documentation needed to be organised so that the defence could argue its case. Delhi Police's 500-page final report against Kumar has been filed under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sections 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 341 (wrongful restraint), 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage

AAP accuses BJP, CBI of 'conspiring' to keep Arvind Kejriwal in jail

The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday slammed the BJP and central probe agency CBI for allegedly conspiring to keep Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in jail in the excise policy case. No immediate reaction was available from either the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the BJP on the AAP's charges. Senior AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Atishi alleged that the CBI sought time from the Supreme Court to file a reply on Kejriwal's bail plea, but "planted" it in newspapers. "The CBI says in court that its reply on the bail plea is not ready and so the hearing of bail be extended by 14 days. The same day the CBI's reply is given to the media so that it can become a one-sided headline in the newspapers," Sisodia posted on X in Hindi. "The CBI is dancing like a puppet on the BJP instructions to keep Arvind Kejriwal in jail," he added. The senior AAP leader asserted that the conspiracies being hatched for "headline management" will fail and truth and honesty will win one day. The agen

Atishi holds meet on providing 400 units of free power to 1984 riot victims

Atishi also instructed the Revenue Department officials to make unique ID cards for the riot victims

UP court orders arrest of AAP MP Sanjay Singh in 2001 road blockade case

A Sultanpur court on Tuesday took strong objection to Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh not appearing in a two-decade-old case and ordered police to arrest and produce him on August 28. On August 13, a non-bailable warrant was issued against Singh, SP leader Anoop Sanda, and four others, with the hearing scheduled for Tuesday. The accused however did not appear before the court. "The court has directed the police to arrest all the accused and produce them in the court by August 28," a court officer told PTI. Madan Singh, appearing for the six accused, said a bail petition for Singh and Sanda has been filed in the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, with a hearing set for August 22. The case goes back to June 19, 2001, when a demonstration was held near an overbridge close to the city's Sabzi Mandi area under the leadership of former SP MLA Anoop Sanda over poor power supply. Sanjay Singh, along with former councillors Kamal Srivastava, Vijay Kumar, Santosh, and Subhash Chaudh

Delhi excise scam: Court extends CM Kejriwal's judicial custody till Aug 27

A Delhi court on Tuesday extended the period of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's judicial custody till August 27 in a corruption case lodged by the CBI in connection with the alleged excise scam. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja extended Kejriwal's custody after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was produced before the court through a video-conference on the expiry of the period of his judicial custody granted earlier. The court is likely to consider on August 27 a supplementary chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Kejriwal.