Page 81 - Aap

Delhi govt pulls up DM (south) for 'inaction' in Mehrauli demolition drive

The Delhi government has pulled up the district magistrate (south) for alleged "inaction" related to the Mehrauli demolition drive and directed him again to carry out fresh demarcation in the area, officials said on Tuesday. Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot had directed the DM (south) last week to carry out fresh demarcation of "disputed" area after the affected residents alleged that the demarcation exercise was done keeping them in the dark. In an order issued by Gahlot on Tuesday, it was alleged that DM (south) neither complied with the direction for fresh demarcation nor asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to stop the ongoing demolition exercise. The copy of the order has been sent to DDA vice chairman Subhasish Panda reiterating that the demolition drive cannot be carried out without demarcation. "In the face of large scale demolition by DDA, such non-compliance by DM (South) with regard to demarcation exercise which is the basis for carrying out demolition activities,

Adani-Hindenburg row: AAP holds protests in Srinagar, Jammu; demands probe

Police on Sunday prevented AAP workers from staging a protest outside the BJP office here over the Adani-Hindenburg row. Led by AAP's central Kashmir youth president Jibran Dar, party workers assembled in Jawahar Nagar area and raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business tycoon Gautam Adani. The protesters alleged that Modi was favouring Adani, but doing nothing for ordinary people. Before they could reach the BJP office in the area, the protesters were detained by police and whisked away to the local police station. Adani Group stocks have taken a beating after US-based activist short-seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation, against it. The Adani Group has dismissed the allegations as lies. The AAP also staged a protest outside the BJP office in Jammu over the issue and demanded a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into independent India's "biggest scam". AAP workers led

Water cannon used on AAP workers protesting over Adani issue in Chandigarh

The Chandigarh Police on Sunday used water cannon to prevent AAP workers from moving towards the BJP office here as part of their protest against the Centre over the Adani issue. Aam Aadmi Party workers, gathered from various parts of Punjab, wanted to "gherao" the office of the Punjab BJP in Sector 37 here to register their protest against the party-led central government. Barricades were put up and a heavy deployment of police was made to prevent the protesters from heading towards the Punjab BJP office. Police used a water cannon when AAP workers tried to force their way towards the BJP office, said officials. Carrying party flags, AAP workers shouted slogans against the BJP government over the Adani issue. AAP MLA from the Jalalabad constituency Jagdeep Kamboj slammed the BJP alleging that it has failed on all fronts. Later, police detained several party leaders and workers. Earlier speaking to reporters at the party office, AAP leader Harchand Singh Barsat alleged that the

Delhi LG replaces AAP govt nominees from discom boards with senior officers

'Government nominees', including AAP leader Jasmine Shah, appointed to the boards of power discoms in Delhi by the Arvind Kejriwal-led dispensation have been replaced with senior officials, sources at the Lieutenant Governor's office said on Saturday. Besides Shah, a spokesperson of the AAP, those removed from the boards include Naveen Gupta, son of AAP MP N D Gupta, and other private persons "illegally" appointed as 'government nominees', they claimed. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party termed the LG's orders removing Shah and Gupta from the boards of discoms "illegal and unconstitutional". The LG does not have the power to issue such orders, it claimed. The sources at the LG's office, meanwhile, said the finance secretary, power secretary and the MD of Delhi Transco will now represent the city government on the boards of the discoms, in line with the prevalent practice. Delhi LG V K Saxena had ordered the immediate removal of Shah, Gupta and other private individuals "illegally" appointe

Admissions for EWS, children with disabilities begin in Delhi pvt schools

The registration process for admission of Economically Weaker Sections/Disadvantages Group (EWS/DG) and children with disabilities at the entry-level classes in Delhi's private schools began on Friday, Delhi government officials said. The last date to submit online applications is February 25 and the first computerised draw of lots will be conducted on March 3. An applicant can access the website of the Directorate of Education (DoE) (www.edudel.nic.in) and click on "EWS/DG Admission" link available on the home page for applying, the officials said. According to the DoE, it is mandatory for the applicants to submit their Aadhaar numbers to "avoid duplicity" of the application. The private schools (up to primary level) recognised by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) have been also included in the computerised online admission system for EWS/DG category admissions at the entry level. "Single application shall be filed by an individual applicant for online admission process. .

Delhi excise policy: Advertising firm director in ED custody till Feb 13

A court here on Thursday sent the director of an advertising company, who is alleged to have ran the AAP campaign during the 2022 Goa assembly polls, to ED's custody for interrogation in a Delhi excise policy-related money laundering case. Rajesh Joshi, the director of Chariot Productions Media Pvt Ltd, was produced before Special Judge M K Nagpal, who sent him for custodial interrogation till February 13. He was arrested by the ED on Wednesday. The agency sought his ten days' custody, saying he was required to be confronted with other accused in the case to unearth the larger conspiracy. It said the links of the advertising company promoter with regard to alleged diversion of "kickbacks" for the Goa assembly polls in 2022 are under the scanner of the agency. The ED alleged in a chargesheet submitted to the court that a part of the alleged Rs 100 crore "kickbacks" generated in the scrapped Delhi excise policy were "used" in the 2022 Goa assembly election campaign of the Arvind ...

Civic budget 2023-24 likely to be passed by special officer: MCD sources

The civic budget 2023-24 is likely to be passed by the special officer of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi as the mayoral election is still due and less than a week is left to complete the budget exercise, sources said on Thursday. If this happens, it will be an "unprecedented development" in the civic body's journey as budget is traditionally passed by a House, they said. The municipal House in Delhi on February 6 had failed to elect a mayor for the third time in a row in a month, following ruckus over the decision to allow aldermen to vote in the mayoral poll, even as the AAP alleged a "planned conspiracy" by the BJP to stall the process. An agitated AAP, which is seeking a "court-monitored" election, moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday over this issue. The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses of the office of the lieutenant governor, pro tem presiding officer of the MCD Satya Sharma, and others on a plea filed by AAP's mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi. A bench of Chief .

Delhi BJP demands Sisodia's removal over AAP's 'snooping' on politicians

BJP staged a protest near Delhi Secretariat on Thursday, demanding the removal of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia from his post over "snooping" by the Feedback Unit, or FBU, allegedly created by the party after it came to power in 2015. The Lt Governor has forwarded a recommendation of CBI to the President through the Ministry of Home Affairs for registration of a case against Sisodia after an enquiry in the creation and working of the FBU, sources had said earlier. It was claimed in a preliminary enquiry report of CBI that the FBU set up by Delhi government months after AAP came to power in Delhi in 2015 indulged in "political intelligence". "No one, not even journalists, businessmen, and senior officers were untouched by the Feedback unit. The way AAP government is functioning, very soon both Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia will be behind the bars," said Delhi BJP working president Virendra Sachdeva. Calling it a "very serious" matter, Sachdeva said BJP wil

SC seeks response of LG office regarding early Delhi mayoral elections

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses of the office of the lieutenant governor, pro tem presiding officer Satya Sharma of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and others on a plea filed by AAP mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi seeking early holding of the mayoral election. A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala said it is issuing notice on the plea and seeking replies by next Monday. Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, pointed out that the House was convened three times but the election of the mayor was not held. "We have several objections including that the pro tem presiding officer of the MCD is insisting on holding elections for mayor, deputy mayor and members of standing committee all at once. This is contrary to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act," he said. Singhvi said the other issue is the voting rights of nominated members of the House and it needs to be adjudicated. The

AAP distributing revdi while govt allocated funds to Delhi in Budget: Lekhi

Taking a dig at the Delhi government, Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi on Tuesday said while the Centre provided funds to the city under different heads in the Union Budget 2023-24, the AAP dispensation was busy distributing 'revdi' (freebies). No immediate reaction was available from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on the allegations. Speaking at a press conference, Lekhi noted that Rs 11,932.03 crore was allocated to Delhi Police in the budget which is an increase of Rs 1,576.74 crore over the previous year. This is in line with the commitment of the central government to ensure law and order in the city, she said. "The eyes of the world are set on Delhi being the G-20 Summit venue this year, and the Centre has increased the 'capital' section allocation to Delhi Police by 136 per cent to Rs 1,289.92 crore for the 2023-24 financial year which is Rs 546.90 crore more than the last financial year," a party statement quoted Lekhi as saying. The Minister of State for External Affairs also sai

AAP has pushed back Punjab into age of darkness: Sukhbir Singh Badal

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday accused the AAP government in Punjab of pushing the state back into the "age of darkness by bankrupting" its power utility and refusing to give incentives to the industrial sector. Addressing a press conference here, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government had not generated a single unit of power during its tenure. "It is simultaneously not paying subsidy due to PSPCL (Punjab State Power Corporation Limited) which is bankrupting the power utility," he said. Noting that part of the power needs of the state were being served by two thermal plants in Rajpura and Talwandi Sabo, he said, "These thermal plants supply power to the state at Rs 2.80 per unit. The shortfall in demand is being filled by purchasing power at Rs 8 to 10 per unit." "The situation would get worse in the summer. This will threaten paddy crop besides dealing a crippling blow to the industrial sector," Badal said. The SAD leader clai

AAP to appeal move the SC for court-monitored Delhi mayoral polls

After the Delhi Municipal House was adjourned for the third time on Monday without electing a mayor, AAP leader Atishi said the party will move the Supreme Court

BJP charges AAP of resorting to excuses to delay the MCD mayor election

The BJP Monday accused the Aam Aadmi Party of coming out with excuses to stall the mayoral election, as the MCD House was adjourned for a third time in a month without completing the poll process. BJP leaders said their councilors, aldermen and MPs who have voting right in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House will stage a protest outside the AAP headquarters here on Tuesday. BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri, who addressed a press conference along with other party colleagues, rejected AAP's opposition to allow aldermen (nominated councilors) to vote in the mayoral poll. The law mandates the Central government to decide who will vote in the MCD House, he said. The AAP has slammed the decision by presiding officer Satya Sharma, who is a BJP councilor, to allow voting right to aldermen. Delhi BJP MLA Vijender Gupta said the AAP comes up with one or the other excuse to create a ruckus at the MCD House and stall the elections for the posts of mayor, deputy mayor, and members of the stand

Aldermen can vote in Delhi mayoral polls, says MCD presiding officer

The municipal House witnessed an uproar on Monday after Presiding Officer Satya Sharma announced that the nominated members will also be allowed to vote in the elections for mayor, deputy mayor and Standing Committee members. Soon after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House assembled around 11:30 am, after a delay of half an hour, she announced that elections to the posts of mayor, deputy mayor and Standing Committee members would be held simultaneously. "Aldermen will be allowed to vote in the elections for mayor, deputy mayor and Standing Committee members," Sharma said. The announcement drew protests from AAP councillors. Party leader Mukesh Goel said aldermen can't vote. To this, Sharma said, "People have sent you here to serve them, let the election be held." Following this, the House was adjourned briefly. This is the third session of the House after the December 4 municipal polls. The first two sessions -- held on January 6 and January 24 -- were adjourned by the

After 2 failed attempts to elect Delhi mayor, House to convene Monday

The Delhi municipal House is set to convene on Monday to elect a mayor for the city after failing to complete the poll in two previous attempts. As per the DMC Act 1957, the mayor and the deputy mayor are to elected in the very first House that convenes after the civic polls. However, it's been two months since the municipal elections were held, and Delhi is still to get a mayor. The first two sessions -- held on January 6 and January 24 -- were adjourned by the presiding pfficer without electing a mayor following a ruckus and acrimonious exchanges among the members of the BJP and the AAP. While the first session of the 250-member House after the December 4 poll went fully in vain, in the second session, the nominated members followed by elected members took oath. After the oath-taking exercise, the second municipal House was adjourned till the next date by Presiding Officer and BJP councillor Satya Sharma. While BJP members had walked out of chamber shouting anti-AAP and anti-Arv

Delhi excise scam: BJP stage protest at AAP office, asks Kejriwal to resign

Delhi BJP leaders and workers on Saturday staged a protest at the AAP office here demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after the ED named him in a charge sheet in the excise scam case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has named Kejriwal in its charge sheet related to the liquor scam of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and he should resign from the post of chief minister of Delhi, state BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said. No immediate reaction was available from the AAP to the allegations. The BJP will keep on exposing the "corruption" of the Kejriwal government which is weakening Delhi like a "termite", Sachdeva alleged during the protest. "If he has any morality left in him, Kejriwal should resign now," he said. Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, said the BJP has been saying that the liquor scam was done under the protection of Kejriwal and it has now been proven by the ED charge sheet. The ED has claimed in its ...

AAP setting agenda for K'taka polls, will fight all 224 seats: Atishi

Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi on Tuesday said her party is setting the agenda for the upcoming Karnataka assembly election with BJP promising 'Namma Clinic' on the lines of Delhi's Mohalla Clinics and Congress promising 200 units of free electricity as has been implemented in the national capital. The party will fight in all the 224 assembly constituencies across the state in the election, which is less than three months away, and the list of candidates would be announced in the first week of March, the AAP leader said at a press conference here. The party leader said people do not want a "copycat version of the Delhi model of governance and want the original". Hence, the party has decided to fight the election in Karnataka with all its vigour. She said the BJP and the Congress are "poor copycats in implementing schemes". While the saffron party has been in power for the past three-and-half years, it is only at the brink of assembly polls that it is promising to implement the 'Namm

BRS, AAP announce boycott of President Murmu's address to Parliament

BRS leader K Keshava Rao has said his party will boycott the President's address to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament to protest against the BJP-led Centre's "failure on all fronts of governance". The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) too said it will boycott the address. The President addresses members of both Houses in the Parliament's Central Hall on the first day of a session. Rao, who is also the Bharat Rashtra Samithi's floor leader in Rajya Sabha, said his party is "boycotting in protest against the failure of BJP-led NDA government at the Centre on all fronts of governance". He said the AAP will also join the BRS in the boycott. BRS supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, is eyeing a role for himself in national politics and has been working on cobbling an alliance of opposition parties. AAP leader and MP Sanjay Singh said, With all due respect to President Droupadi Murmu, we are boycotting the joint sitting of Parliament as the government has failed on

AAP govt's project to transform 1,400-km Delhi roads to kick off from Apr 1

Repairing broken pavements, central verges and manholes, resurfacing roads and sprinkling of water on them on a daily basis -- these are some of initiatives that will be undertaken as part of the Delhi government's mega project to transform the city roads that will kick off from April 1. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said about Rs 4,500 crore will be spent on the project in the first year and then Rs 2,000 crore every year. The Delhi government will also introduce deep scrubbing machines and litter picker machines, he said, adding that it will also hire over 100 mechanised road sweepers, over 150 sprinkler tankers and 250 anti-smog-guns-cum-sprinklers. The chief minister said they will be transforming a total of 1,400 kms of roads that come under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Public Works Department. He added that heavy penalties will be imposed on the contractor in case of any shortcoming in the project. The entire system will be monitored remotely

AAP holds 'padyatras' in Delhi against BJP for delaying MCD mayor polls

The Aam Aadmi Party held ''padayatras'' in all the 70 assembly constituencies of Delhi on Saturday to protest against the BJP for allegedly indulging in "hooliganism" and conspiring to stop the MCD mayor election twice. AAP MLA and MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak said, "The BJP seeks to maintain control over all aspects of Delhi. Troubled by the BJP's mismanagement of the MCD for 15 years, the people of Delhi have now given a majority to the AAP. "However, the BJP remains unable to accept this outcome and is determined to keep the MCD under their control at any cost. This is the reason why, despite the results of the MCD elections having been announced over a month ago, the BJP continues to obstruct the formation of an AAP government and the appointment of an AAP mayor." He said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi House has been called twice for the mayor's election, but the BJP continues to obstruct the process by "creating chaos and resorting to hooliganism". "The AAP will not tolera