Page 114 - Arvind Kejriwal

'Anti-religious': Gujarat BJP targets Kejriwal over cracker ban in Delhi

Gujarat BJP chief C R Paatil has hit out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his government's decision to completely ban firecrackers in the national capital, and dubbed such people "anti-religious" who were stopping citizens from celebrating their festivals. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government last month re-imposed a complete ban on the production, sale and use of all types of firecrackers till January 1, 2023, including on Diwali, a practice it has been following for the last two years. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai recently said bursting of firecrackers on Diwali in Delhi will attract a jail term of up to six months and a fine of Rs 200. Production, storage and sale of firecrackers in the capital will be punishable with a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and three years jail under Section 9B of the Explosives Act, Rai had said. Ahead of the Gujarat Assembly polls due later this year, AAP national convener Kejriwal has visited the state multiple times in the rece

Hefty loss to MCD due to parking fee collection irregularities, alleges AAP

The AAP on Saturday claimed that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) suffered a big "loss to its exchequer" due to irregularities in the collection of parking fees and alleged the involvement of senior BJP leaders. At a press conference here, the AAP's MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak demanded that the lieutenant governor order an investigation into it, according to a party statement. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) allegation came ahead of the civic polls. There was no immediate reaction from the BJP or the MCD. The BJP was in power in the three civic bodies in Delhi before they were merged into the MCD. "BJP-led MCD gave a tender to a company to collect parking fees; people paid Rs 1.5 crore in total, but the collected amount never reached the MCD," Pathak alleged. The matter "went to the court", but the company did not pay the money, despite the court order in 2022. The MCD "suspended its licence" and "blacklisted" the firm, he claimed. Owners of that company opened several other

Delhi CM Kejriwal okays celebration of Chhath Puja along Yamuna ghats

The Chhath festival is set to get back its old flavour and will be celebrated this year along the Yamuna at all the 1,100 ghats in the city. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has approved the proposal by Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot to allow the celebration of Chhath Puja at different ghats along the Yamuna in Delhi, an official statement said. In view of the approval, directions have been issued to all district magistrates that additional measures may be taken for ensuring that no polluting material is immersed in the river, it said. Measures including banners, posters, audio messages at sites, deployment of CDVs may be employed for ensuring the guidelines issued by the NGT, it added. Earlier, a concern had been conveyed regarding construction of Puja ghats near the Yamuna and the offerings by the devotees at such ghats, which might lead to pollution in the river. Various orders/instructions issued by the National Green Tribunal as well as the directions issued by National Missio

'Old pension scheme to be restored in Punjab, will do same in Gujarat, HP'

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday congratulated government employees in Punjab after the state cabinet gave its nod to the restoration of the old pension scheme and promised that the AAP would do so in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, if it is voted to power in the upcoming polls. The old pension scheme should be restored and implemented all over the country, he said, terming the new pension scheme unfair. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor's promise to the state government employees of the poll-bound Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh came after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced his government's decision to restore old pension scheme. "We had promised that we would implement the old pension scheme in Punjab. Today Bhagwant Mann fulfilled the promise. Congratulations to all the employees of Punjab, Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi. The old pension scheme should be restored and implemented all over the country, he said. "If the people of Himachal Pradesh a

Delhi L-G flags 'inordinate delay' in receiving Lokayukta reports from AAP

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has flagged that he has received Lokayukta reports from the city government after an "inordinate delay" of three years, and said being the custodian of public trust, it should display appropriate alertness. Saxena has written to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the matter. "I would like to advise that the minister concerned may please be guided appropriately to dispose such important matters of public interest within reasonable period, so that the statutory purpose of laying it before the legislative assembly is not defeated and Delhi is not deprived of its wisdom," the lieutenant governor (L-G) said in his letter. Saxena received the 16th and the 17th annual consolidated reports of the Lokayukta of Delhi, pertaining to 2017-18 and 2018-19, "after a delay of three years from Kejriwal" and has approved the laying of the reports before the Delhi assembly, L-G office sources said. While approving the reports, "he flagged the inordinate delay of

Orders issued to ensure Yamuna not polluted during Chhath, says Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said officials had been directed to ensure that the Yamuna was not polluted during Chhath. "Chhath Puja will be celebrated like before on the ghats of the Yamuna. Orders have been given to all officers that all arrangements are made to ensure that the Yamuna is not polluted," he said in a tweet in Hindi. Chhath will be celebrated on October 30 and 31. It involves the offering of "arghya" to the Sun god by fasting women in knee-deep water. The festival is hugely popular among Purvanchalis living in Delhi.

Bow to all policemen who laid down their lives in line of duty: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday paid tribute to police martyrs and said he bowed to all brave policemen who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. On Police Commemoration Day, he took to Twitter to also say that his government "always takes care" of the families of such policemen. "On 'Police Memorial Day', I bow to all the brave policemen who sacrificed their lives in the service of the public while performing their duty with full devotion. "Our government always takes care of the families of all such brave policemen," Kejriwal tweeted. The Police Commemoration Day is observed in the memory of 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who were killed on this day in 1959 in an ambush by Chinese troops in Ladakh's Hot Spring area.

Delhi vs Centre: SC to hear plea on control of admin services on Nov 24

SC posted a plea of the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government on contentious issue of who should control administrative services in Delhi over transfers, postings of officers, for November 24

Arvind Kejriwal urges PM Modi to work together to improve India's schools

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to work together to improve the country's schools and offered his government's expertise. Kejriwal's remarks come after Modi visited a school in Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat, and interacted with students. "PM sir, we have done a wonderful job in the field of education in Delhi. In five years, all the government schools of Delhi were improved remarkably. Schools across the country can be improved in five years," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi. "We have experience in this field. Please use our experience completely for this. Let's do it together for the country." He also posted a picture of Modi sitting in a classroom with the students. "I am very happy that today all the parties and leaders of the country have to talk about education and schools. This is our biggest achievement. I hope that education is not missed only during elections. All governments together can make its schools great in just

Delhi CM Kejriwal announces 100 EV charging stations, one every 2 km

Nearly 70 per cent of these charging stations have been set up at Delhi Metro parking areas where EV users can easily park their vehicles for charging, Kejriwal said while inaugurating 11 stations

CM Kejriwal inaugurates 11 EV charging stations, Delhi to get 89 more

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday inaugurated 11 high-tech low cost electric charging stations in different parts of the city, taking yet another step towards pushing the residents to shift to electric vehicles (EVs). The chief minister launched these charging stations as part of a larger project to set up 100 charging stations across the national capital in the next two months. "Through these 11 electric charging stations, Delhi has given the world the most affordable model of its kind. Driving an EV after charging them here would be extremely cheap it would barely cost 7 paise/km for two wheelers, 8 paise/km for three wheelers and 33 paise/km for four wheelers," he said. There are 73 charging points and 12 swapping stations at these 11 charging stations and the consumers will be charged at the rate of Rs 3 per unit, Kejriwal said. "There will be 100 charging stations with 900 charging points and 103 swapping stations in two months. Under the EV policy, we had set a

Delhi to get 100 electric vehicle charging stations in two months: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the national capital would get 100 electric vehicle charging stations in the next two months. Kejriwal on Tuesday inaugurated 11 charging stations and said the facilities would also include battery swapping points. "Earlier, battery swapping points and charging stations were different but these have now been clubbed together. These 11 stations have 73 charging points. In the next two months, Delhi will get 100 charging stations," he said. The ambitious Delhi Electric Vehicles policy, introduced in August 2020, aims to increase the share of electric vehicles to 25 per cent of total sales by 2024. When asked about the showcause notice issued to Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi Vice-Chairperson Jasmine Shah, Kejriwal said, "The Cabinet appointed him and only the Cabinet can question him." The Delhi government's planning department on Monday issued a showcause notice to Shah over charges of "misusing public office" by ac

Punjab leaders slam Kejriwal for comparing Sisodia, Jain with Bhagat Singh

Opposition parties in Punjab Monday slammed the ruling AAP's national convener Arvind Kejriwal for comparing party leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain with freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and demanded an unconditional apology from him. Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring lashed out at Kejriwal for his Sunday comments and said it was for the first time in history that someone had invoked the great martyr's name for corruption. He asked why the Delhi chief minister was scared of investigations. While alleging that the BJP-led Centre of "misusing" probe agencies like the CBI, Warring claimed that the way the AAP government was "misusing" the Vigilance Bureau in Punjab, the matter will eventually go to court. "Just because you say Sisodia is like Bhagat Singh does not make him a martyr. Martyrdom is not achieved for corruption," the Punjab Congress chief said. Ridiculing the Aam Aadmi Party's procession as Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia headed towards the CBI ..

Without ideology or loyalty: Arvind Kejriwal and his pursuit of power

Rajendra Pal Gautam, Tahir Hussain and Amanatullah Khan have joined a long list of colleagues who have been left high and dry by Kejriwal. They were, in the end, mere props in his pursuit of power

Gujarat wants 'new engine government' not 'double engine' one: Kejriwal

Taking a dig at the BJP-led Central government, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said Gujarat doesn't want a "double-engine government" but a "new engine" government. Addressing a rally in Bhavnagar city in the poll-bound state, Kejriwal said if Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) comes to power, it will withdraw on priority all "false cases" registered against people from various communities, groups and government employees for agitating against the BJP government in the last 27 years. In a veiled swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's events in Gujarat where he launched projects worth crores, Kejriwal said he cannot announce such a huge package but will ensure benefits worth Rs 30,000 to households through his "guarantees". "They say 'double engine ki sarkaar' (a double-engine government). This time, Gujarat does not want a double-engine, it wants a 'new engine.' The double engine is very old, both engines are 40-50 years old. A new party, new faces, new ideology,

AAP says Sisodia will be arrested, Kejriwal compares him with Bhagat Singh

After Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that he has been summoned by the CBI, CM Arvind Kejriwal compared him with freedom fighter Bhagat Singh

AAP's Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann on 2-day Gujarat visit from today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will be on a two-day visit to poll-bound Gujarat from Sunday. Aam Aadmi Party's national convener Kejriwal along with Mann will address public rallies in Bhavnagar, Mehsana and Banaskantha districts during the two days, AAP's state general secretary Manoj Sorathiya said. "They will reach Bhavnagar on Sunday afternoon and address a public rally there," Sorathiya told reporters. On Monday, the two leaders will address public meetings in Unjha town of Mehsana district and Deesa town in Banaskantha district, he said. "During the two days, the two leaders will also meet local leaders and hold meetings with the state AAP leaders on the upcoming elections," Sorathiya said. The elections in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Gujarat are due this year-end. Kejriwal has visited Gujarat multiple times in the recent past and made a number of promises for the welfare of people of the state if his party is voted

Delhi govt allocates Rs 25 cr for Chhath Puja celebrations at 1,100 sites

The Delhi government has made grand preparations for Chhath Puja at 1,100 sites and allocated Rs 25 crore for the festival, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday. Chhath will be celebrated on October 30 and 31. During a digital media briefing, the chief minister said his government has made preparations such as washrooms, ambulances, first-aid and power backup at the sites. He stressed that the Delhi Police was fully supporting in the security aspect and CCTV cameras would be installed at various locations. "For the last two years, the festivities were affected due to the pandemic. Since the formation of our government in 2014, the celebrations have become bigger. Earlier before we came to power, the government would allocate Rs 2.5 crore for making preparations at 69 sites, but now, the budget has grown to 25 crore and the sites to 1,100," Kejriwal said. He urged people to pray to Chhathi Maiyya not just for themselves but for the country for relief from the coronavirus.

Work underway on Delhi's stretches marked for redevelopment, beautification

The Delhi government has identified several stretches of roads for redevelopment and beautification under its streetscaping project

Delhi govt schools top India School Ranking; Kejriwal lauds education team

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday congratulated the education team and said two government schools in the national capital have topped the ranking for state government day schools in the country. Kejriwal in a tweet said, "Proud of my Team Education. Once again, Delhi Govt schools top the Education World School Rankings, with the best state govt school in India." The government-run Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya, Sector 10, Dwarka secured the first rank and Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya, Yamuna Vihar came second in the ranking released by Education World (EW), a portal for educators, teachers and parents which comes out with rankings for schools every year. Five schools in the top 10 are from Delhi, he said. Congratulating the Education team of the Delhi government, he termed the "achievement" an "amazing feat".