Page 38 - Aap Government

ED a political weapon, aims to prevent CM Kejriwal from campaigning: Atishi

Delhi Minister Atishi on Tuesday accused the Enforcement Directorate of becoming a "political weapon" and claimed the agency's assertion that BRS leader K Kavitha was involved in paying Rs 100 crore to AAP leaders for favours in the now-scrapped excise policy has been dismissed by the Supreme Court. Addressing a press conference, she alleged the federal probe agency's action was aimed at stopping Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal from campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls. Kavitha, the MLC daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) agency last week from her Hyderabad home and she is in the federal probe agency's custody till March 23. In a statement on Monday, the ED claimed Kavitha along with others "conspired with the top leaders of AAP, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, for getting favours in the Delhi excise policy formulation and implementation". "In .

ED acting like BJP's agent, charges against Kejriwal blatant lie, says AAP

The AAP on Monday termed the ED a political wing of BJP and dismissed its charges against the party and its national convener Arvind Kejriwal blatant and frivolous lies. The Enforcement Directorate on Monday said that BRS leader K Kavitha and some others "conspired" with top AAP leaders, including Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, to get favours in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy by paying Rs 100 crore to the political party that rules Delhi. Kavitha was arrested last week by the ED from Hyderabad. The Aam Aadmi Party responded to the ED statement by saying its probe was biased. "On earlier occasions too, ED has released such blatantly false and frivolous statements which show that instead of being a neutral investigative agency, it is working like a political wing of BJP," the party said in a statement. Delhi minister Atishi alleged that the ED is "planting stories" in the media and has not even a "penny worth" of evidence against Kejriwal. "ED is showing its true political colo

Sanjay Singh to be taken to Parl on March 19 for oath as RS MP: Delhi Court

A Delhi court has directed Tihar Jail officials to take Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh, who is arrested in the excise scam case, to Parliament on Tuesday to enable him to take oath as a Rajya Sabha member. Special Judge M K Nagpal directed the jail superintendent to ensure adequate security during Singh's movement. "The Jail Superintendent concerned is directed to ensure that accused is taken to Parliament on 19.03.2024 under adequate security for the purpose of making and subscribing of oath as a Member and after the oath, he is also brought back to the jail safely," the judge said. In an order passed on March 16, the judge said that during the visit Singh will not be permitted to use mobile phone or talk with any other accused, suspect or witness in this case, or in the connected case of the CBI. He shall also not be permitted to address the press or hold any public meeting, judge Nagpal said. However, he may be permitted to meet his counsel as well as his family members du

Will seek votes on basis of works done by our govt: Punjab CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said his party will seek votes on the basis of works undertaken by his government in the state in the last two years. Mann-led dispensation completed two years in office on Friday. After the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stormed to power by winning 92 out of 117 seats in the state during the state assembly polls, Mann had taken oath as the chief minister at Khatkar Kalan on March 16, 2022. Khatkar Kalan in SBS Nagar is legendary martyr Bhagat Singh's ancestral place. Mann along with his wife on Saturday offered prayers at Gurdwara Amb Sahib in Mohali on the completion of two years of his government. "I prayed for the progress of Punjab," said Mann after offering prayers at the historic gurdwara. Asked about the AAP's preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Mann said his party will seek votes on the basis of works undertaken in the past two years. "We do politics of work," he said. About his government's works, he poin

Delhi court grants bail to CM Kejriwal in case of skipping ED summons

A Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in two complaints filed by the Enforcement Directorate against him for skipping summons in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. The court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra also allowed Kejriwal to leave the courtroom. "Offence being bailable, accused Arvind Kejriwal is admitted to bail," it said. The court further directed the ED to hand over documents related to the complaints to Kejriwal. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed two complaints before the magisterial court, seeking Kejriwal's prosecution for skipping multiple summonses issued to him in the case. The latest complaint pertains to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor not honouring summonses no. 4 to 8 sent by the federal probe agency under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had earlier moved the magisterial court seeking Kejriwal's prosecution

Senior Punjab Congress leader Raj Kumar Chabbewal quits party, joins AAP

In a setback to the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, senior party leader from Punjab and MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal on Friday quit the party and joined the ruling Aam Aadmi Party. The 54-year-old Chabbewal quit as a legislator from the Chabbewal assembly constituency in the Hoshiarpur district. He was also the Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly. The prominent Dalit leader joined the AAP here and was welcomed into the party fold by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Chabbewal is the second Congress leader from Punjab to join the AAP within a week. Gurpreet Singh GP, a former Congress MLA from Bassi Pathana, had recently joined the AAP. The AAP, which named its candidates for eight of the 13 Lok Sabha seats on Thursday, is likely to field him from the Hoshiarpur reserved parliamentary constituency. Speaking to reporters here in the presence of Punjab ministers Harpal Singh Cheema and Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Chabbewal said he is impressed with the pro-people policies

Delhi Cabinet gives nod to extend electric vehicle policy till June

The Delhi Cabinet on Friday approved the extension of Electric Vehicle policy till June this year. All current incentives and subsidies remain intact, and any vehicles purchased from January 1 onwards will be eligible for the benefits under this extension, a Delhi government statement said. The Delhi EV policy has been extended till June 30 or until the notification of Delhi EV policy 2.0, whichever is earlier, it added. The decision to extend the policy was taken in a Cabinet meeting on Friday. Comments and suggestions from various stakeholders are currently being considered for inclusion in the upcoming Delhi EV Policy 2.0, the statement said. Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said, "The extension of the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy underscores our dedication to fostering a sustainable and eco-friendly transport ecosystem in the capital. Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, we are committed to making Delhi a leader in electric mobility at globa

AAP withdraws candidate from Guwahati, asks Cong to step back on 2 seats

The Assam unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday withdrew its candidate from the Guwahati Lok Sabha constituency "for the sake of opposition unity" to defeat the ruling BJP nominee. It challenged the Congress to return the gesture and withdraw its candidates from Dibrugarh and Sonitpur seats, for which the AAP has declared its nominees. Both the Congress and AAP are part of the 16-party United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA), formed to contest the general elections together, but a rift had emerged with members of the forum announcing candidates against each other in various constituencies of the state. The AAP, in a statement, expressed its grievance towards the Congress for naming its candidates for the three seats in which the former had also announced its nominees. The grand old party declared its candidate list for 12 seats on Tuesday, leaving Dibrugarh for UOFA partner Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and still remaining undecided on the candidate for another seat, Lakhimpur. AJP

Hindu, Sikh refugees protest against Kejriwal over his comments against CAA

Hindu and Sikh refugees living in various parts of Delhi staged a protest near Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's Civil Lines residence here on Thursday, demanding an apology from him over his statements against the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). The protesters assembled near the Chandgiram Akhara and attempted to march towards Kejriwal's bungalow, but were stopped by police. "The Narendra Modi government is giving us citizenship while Kejriwal is asking who will give us jobs and houses. He does not understand our pain," said Panjuram, one of the protesters. The protesters said Kejriwal should withdraw his statements against the CAA and refugees and tender an apology. Hindu and Sikh refugees living in Rohini, Adarsh Nagar, near Signature Bridge and Majnu ka Tilla took part in the protest. At a press conference on Wednesday, Kejriwal alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to settle poor people hailing from minority communities in Afghanistan, ..

To benefit citizens, Delhi govt built 63 flyovers in 10 yrs: CM Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the AAP government has built 63 flyovers in the city over the last 10 years and provided all possible benefits to citizens. Inaugurating a three-lane flyover at Moti Nagar, Kejriwal said it will cut down the travel time for commuters and provide relief to them from traffic snarls. "This flyover will provide relief to people from traffic jams. We have built around 63 flyovers since we came to power. What the previous governments have done in 75 years, we have done more in the last 10 years. All it takes is the will to do the work," he said. Kejriwal said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has government provided all possible benefits to citizens -- from free electricity to good education. "Our government schools are so good that there is no difference between the children of the rich and the poor. We have fixed the government hospitals, opened mohalla clinics, provided free bus rides to women," he said.

Money laundering case: SC to hear AAP's Sanjay Singh's bail plea on Mar 19

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would hear on March 19 a plea filed by AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who has challenged an order of the Delhi High Court which refused to grant him bail in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Dipankar Datta and Prashant Kumar Mishra was informed by the counsel appearing for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that they would file their reply to Singh's plea during the day. The ED's counsel said the apex court had on February 26 issued notice to the probe agency seeking its response on the plea. He said the reply was ready and would be filed. "You are filing it today?" the bench asked. The counsel said the ED would file the reply during the day. "Then we will keep it on next Tuesday," the bench said while posting the matter for hearing on March 19. A separate plea filed by Singh challenging his arrest and remand in the money-laundering case also came up for hearing before the ...

Zero plus zero is zero: Amit Shah derides AAP-Cong alliance for Delhi

Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday took a swipe at the AAP for joining hands with the Congress in Delhi for the Lok Sabha polls, saying whether the Arvind Kejriwal-led party forms an alliance with the Congress or merges with it "nothing is going to happen because zero plus zero remains zero". The AAP and the Congress have no Lok Sabha seat from Delhi where the BJP won all the seven seats in 2019 and 2014 elections. "You can keep forming alliances but Prime Minister Modi will return to power with over 400 seats," Shah asserted. The Aam Aadmi Party hit back at the home minister for his tirade, saying the people of Delhi have shown their repeated preference for an "honest government". They will ensure the ouster of the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and lend further strength to Arvind Kejriwal in the Parliament, it said. Shah slammed the AAP as he launched piped natural gas supply line in 41 villages and developmental works in 178 villages of the national capital under Dilli .

Man falls into borewell in Keshopur: Atishi visits water treatment plant

Water Minister Atishi on Sunday visited the Delhi Jal Board water treatment plant in Keshopur where a man fell into a 40-foot-deep borewell and said that action would be taken against the official who was responsible for this sewage treatment plant. The minister was briefed about the rescue operation by the teams deployed at the spot. "I have ordered all borewells in Delhi to be inspected in the next 48 hours and action will be taken against the official who was responsible for this STP (sewage treatment plant)," Atishi told PTI. She said that the borewell surrounding was completely locked when the rescue teams arrived and added that the police are looking into the matter. "The surrounding of the borewell where the person fell was completely locked. Those carrying out the rescue operations had broken the locks and entered. It wasn't a child who fell inside, it's an adult man. Police are looking into the matter now. It is not possible or even allowed for anyone to enter the area. ..

Lok Sabha polls: Lord Krishna is with us, says Kejriwal in Kurukshetra

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said his party has 'dharma' with it and asked people to decide whether they are with 'dharma' or 'adharma'. Addressing a public meeting in Haryana's Kurukshetra Lok Sabha constituency, the Delhi chief minister urged people to vote for his party candidate Sushil Gupta from the seat. The AAP and the Congress will fight the Lok Sabha polls in alliance in Haryana. Under the tie-up, the AAP will contest from the lone Kurukshetra seat out of total 10 parliamentary seats in the state. Addressing the gathering, Kejriwal invoked the Mahabharata and said Kurukshetra is a pious land where the 'dharmayudh' was fought. 'Pandavas' had won it despite 'Kauravas' having everything, said the AAP convener who was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. "What Pandavas had? Lord Shri Krishna was with them," he said. "Today, what we have with us. We are too small. Lord Shri Krishna is with us," said Kejriwal. Referring to the BJP-led Centre, Kejriwal sa

Delhi L-G, AAP govt trade charges over civic issues in slum clusters

Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena and the AAP government traded charges on Saturday over the city's civic issues as he shared on social media pictures highlighting cleanliness issues in the slum clusters of Tehkhand and Okhla. Posting pictures captured during his Friday visit to Golkuan in Tehkhand and Sanjay Colony in Okhla, both slum areas in southeast Delhi, Saxena requested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to take cognisance of it. In its reaction to Saxena's posts and pictures on X, the Kejriwal government alleged in a statement that three lakh slum-dwellers in Delhi have become homeless due to LG's decisions and directions. The LG office sent out a strongly-worded reply, saying, "This is typical and blatant lie being peddled, supposedly by Delhi government." "Not a single Jhuggi has been removed at LG's directions. In fact, on many occasions, the last being at Majnu ka Tila, demolitions were stopped due to LG's intervention," a Raj Niwas official said. The LG has made four

BJP following 'vinash' model, stamping out Oppn, toppling govts: Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the AAP government in Delhi was pursuing a model of 'vikas' or development while the BJP was following a model of 'vinash' or destruction with its stamping out of opposition parties and toppling of governments. Speaking in the Delhi Assembly over the 2024-25 budget of the AAP government tabled in the House recently, Kejriwal said it was such a good budget that people are now saying that the AAP-Congress combine will win all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. The chief minister said every woman in a family will receive Rs 1,000 each under the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojna announced in the budget. Kejriwal also remembered former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, presently in jail in an excise policy-related case. "I hope next year he will present the budget in the Assembly," he said. He also lauded Finance Minister Atishi for presenting a "magnificent" budget that took care of every section of the Society. Kejriwal lashed out at

Two Danics officers suspended for expenditure on ads by Delhi govt

The Centre has suspended two DANICS officers in connection with alleged "unproductive expenditure" on advertisements by the Delhi government, officials said. They said Shamim Akhtar and Manoj Dwivedi previously worked as the director of the Directorate of Information and Publicity, Delhi government. In separate orders issued on Friday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Akhtar and Dwivedi were suspended with immediate effect by the president in exercise of the powers conferred by the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965. Akhtar, a 1996-batch officer of the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Island Civil Services (DANICS), is currently posted at the Urban Development department of the Delhi government, while Dwivedi (DANICS, 2003) was last posted in the Andman and Nicobar Islands. Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena had in January this year recommended to the MHA disciplinary action against the two officers. The MHA is the competent authority to tak

Kejriwal, Mann launch AAP's LS poll campaign in Delhi, lashes out at Centre

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann on Friday launched the AAP's Lok Sabha elections campaign with the slogan "Sansad mein bhi Kejriwal, toh Dilli hogi aur khush haal". The AAP is a member of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, which has pitted itself against the BJP for the Lok Sabha polls that are likely in April-May. Launching the campaign at the AAP's headquarters in the national capital, Kejriwal lashed out at the BJP, the Centre and the Delhi Lt Governor for allegedly stalling the works of his government and appealed to the people to give their blessings by ensuring victory for all seven candidates of the AAP-Congress combine in Delhi. The AAP is contesting from four of Delhi's seven Lok Sabha seats while the Congress will field candidates from three. "I have made all efforts to serve the people of Delhi who are my family, without considering myself as the chief minister," Kejriwal, the AAP's national ..

Lok Sabha polls: Kejriwal, Mann launch AAP's political campaign in Delhi

Also, the AAP is going to contest the general elections in alliance with Congress and both parties have closed their seat-sharing negotiations for Delhi Lok Sabha seats on a 4:3 formula

INDIA bloc lacks unity, has no vision or agenda for LS elections: BJP

The Opposition grouping INDIA has no unity, vision or agenda for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, claimed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party here on Thursday. BJP Goa spokesman Yatish Naik said that hours after the constituents of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) met in Goa, the Congress and AAP were seen sparring in the Punjab Assembly. Leaders of INDIA parties, including Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Goa Forward Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar) met here on Wednesday and decided to set up a coordination committee to formulate a joint strategy for the Lok Sabha elections in Goa. The coastal state has two Lok Sabha constituencies North Goa and South Goa. In the 2019 general elections, the BJP won the North Goa seat, while the other went to the Congress. Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Naik said on Thursday that the Opposition bloc was focussed on resurrecting a rejected dynast who has failed time and again. The BJP spokesman claimed the