Stronger punishment needed to curb graft, says citizens’ body

New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS) Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and North West Delhi MP Yogender Chandolia on Monday live-streamed and “exposed” on social media the grim state of Central Government-constructed flats in the JJ Cluster area of Bawana which AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal has “refused” to distribute to the needy.

The field visit came a day after Kejriwal offered to build new affordable houses for sanitation employees in NDMC and MCD, inviting sharp criticism from the BJP which slammed the former Chief Minister for not utilising the already available houses for the poor and “selling fresh dreams” to them.

The two BJP leaders’ visit was focused on highlighting Kejriwal’s “double standards” under which he did not allot 50,000 flats to sanitation workers and slum dwellers just because of “political rivalry” with the Narendra Modi government.

Addressing the media, Sachdeva said, “Today, we inspected the dilapidated flats, which are a consequence of Kejriwal’s obstinacy and political rivalry, thereby exposing his double standards.”

The BJP leaders highlighted how the flats’ walls have collapsed due to a lack of maintenance and the premises are covered with dense growth of wild plants and weeds.

Sachdeva accused the Kejriwal government of wasting public funds, pointing to these ruined government flats as glaring evidence.

He claimed that 50,000 flats were left to decay solely because Kejriwal insisted on renaming the flats after himself and sought personal credit for the Central Government’s project.

The Delhi BJP chief stated that the Central government allocated around Rs 12,000 crore for constructing these flats for sanitation workers and the poor. However, even after being elected as Chief Minister thrice, Kejriwal neglected their allotment to the needy and, instead, made hollow promises of building new flats.

Sachdeva assured that once a BJP-led government comes to power in Delhi, the party will repair these flats just as the Central government has built solid houses for four crore rural and urban citizens across India.

Highlighting the Modi government’s contribution, he mentioned that “Swabhimaan Apartments” were gifted to Delhi’s underprivileged by the Central government.

In contrast, the Kejriwal government ignored a departmental request for Rs 250 crore to renovate these flats, allocating Rs 1 lakh instead.

He added that Kejriwal’s “duplicitous” policies, treating the poor solely as a vote bank, stand exposed, and his excuses are now wearing thin.

Chandolia criticised the Kejriwal government for its injustice towards the underprivileged, stating, “Kejriwal did not deliver what he promised and only acted in ways that were detrimental during his tenure.”

Chandolia warned that Kejriwal believes he can continue deceiving Delhi’s residents as he has for the past 10 years but he may not succeed.

–IANS

rch/dan

New Delhi, Aug 29 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is preparing to intensify its battle to get a Central government accommodation for its National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal in Lutyens’ Delhi, a party leader said on Friday.

While a matter related to the issue is likely to come up before the Delhi High Court in the coming days, the party leader said that since vacating his official residence at 6, Flagstaff Road on October 4, 2024, after stepping down as Chief Minister, Kejriwal has been staying at the official residence of another party MP near Mandi House.

Earlier, High Court’s Justice Subramonium Prasad, in a judgment delivered on June 5, 2024, directed the Directorate of Estates, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, to allot a bungalow to the AAP for use as a party office of the national party – a direction that has since been complied with.

The AAP leader said on Friday that while a bungalow has been allotted for use as party office, no accommodation has yet been offered to the National Convenor despite a clear entitlement under the Central government’s guidelines.

He said that the 2003 Guidelines for allotment of accommodation from General Pool to national political parties state, “One residential accommodation would be allotted/allowed to be retained by the party president of recognised national party in case the president does not have a house in Delhi, either of his own or allotted by Government in any other capacity.”

As for an office for National Parties, the Guidelines state, “The National Political parties, which have been recognised as such by the Election Commission of India, would be allowed to retain/secure allotment of one housing unit from General Pool in Delhi for their office use on payment of licence fee.”

“The said accommodation will be provided for a period of three years during which the party would acquire a plot of land in an institutional area and will construct its own accommodation for party office,” say the Guidelines.

Meanwhile, the BJP slammed the AAP’s attempt to seek an official residence for Kejriwal – a move which allegedly contradicts his earlier promise of not using any official residence or VIP facility.

Reacting to the AAP’s renewed efforts to seek an official accommodation for Kejriwal, a BJP leader said, “The AAP wants residential accommodation for its party president after promising that he will not take any sarkari suvidha! So much for Arvind Kejriwal’s credibility, who came into politics on exaggerated promises.”

In the run-up to the last Assembly elections, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva had also attacked the AAP chief, stating, “Kejriwal said that I swear on my children that I will not take any government car, bungalow or security.”

–IANS

rch/uk

Bengaluru, Oct 10 (IANS) Commenting on rumours about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hosting a dinner on October 13 for ministers and party MLAs amid discussions of leadership change and cabinet reshuffle, Karnataka Home Minister and one of the most senior leaders in the state, G. Parameshwara, dismissed the speculations, stating that the only purpose of the dinner was to have a meal together.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Friday, Parameshwara said while answering questions, “Hasn’t the CM invited us for dinner before? He has many times. It had been a long time, so he invited us again. There is nothing special in it. He is hosting dinner, and we will attend. There is no agenda for the dinner meeting. The only agenda is to have food.”

“If there is a serious discussion, that is different. But this is a casual meeting. The CM simply said, ‘It’s been long, let’s have dinner together,’ so we are attending it,” Parameshwara added.

On the cabinet reshuffle, he said, “You should ask the Chief Minister himself. It is up to him to decide who to include in the cabinet. There has been no evaluation of ministers. Such discussions keep happening from time to time.”

When asked about drastic changes in November, coinciding with Siddaramaiah completing half of his term, Parameshwara remarked, “Who said there will be a revolution in November?”

On the secret meeting reportedly held by him along with Ministers H.C. Mahadevappa and Satish Jarkiholi, he clarified, “There is nothing in it. I don’t know how you people see it. This is not the first time. Many times, I, Satish Jarkiholi, Mahadevappa, and others have met as friends to discuss whenever needed. It was not a political meeting.

“Former minister K.N. Rajanna was not present in the meeting. There were certain cabinet-related issues, and we discussed them. We have met many times earlier as well — even at Satish Jarkiholi’s or Mahadevappa’s houses. I have not made any statements, and I don’t know what Minister Satish Jarkiholi has spoken about the Deputy Chief Minister. He has spoken in general terms,” the Home Minister said.

It may be recalled that Minister Satish Jarkiholi had appealed for clearing the confusion within the state Congress party.

Explaining his stand on election promises, Parameshwara said, “We announce what people need during elections after understanding their expectations. Unemployment was a major concern, and that’s why it was mentioned in the manifesto. It is not possible to do everything in a single day; things will be done step by step. We had announced in our manifesto that we would fill 2.5 lakh vacant posts. Not all at once, but we have already begun the process. After resolving the issue of internal reservation, we have started recruitment. Be it in the police department or other departments, the process is underway.”

“If what Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised was true and if he had implemented it, why would we criticise him? If he had fulfilled what he announced during the elections, we would have praised him. But he did not. We had announced five guarantees, and we have implemented them,” he stated.

The statements have assumed significance as they come amid talks of leadership change and a possible cabinet reshuffle. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has organised a dinner for Congress MLAs in Bengaluru on October 13.

Sources close to the Chief Minister stated that the reshuffle will take place after the Bihar elections. Through the dinner meeting, Siddaramaiah also aims to send out a strong message that there will be no change in leadership.

The Chief Minister has already spoken to AICC General Secretary and Congress MP K.C. Venugopal during the latter’s recent visit to Bengaluru and has claimed that he will also discuss the matter with party leader Rahul Gandhi.

According to sources, Siddaramaiah is contemplating dropping 15 ministers and inducting new faces into the cabinet. He has discussed this plan with Venugopal. Earlier, when the high command had asked him to drop eight to ten ministers, Siddaramaiah had reportedly disagreed.

His strategy, according to party sources, is that by carrying out a major reshuffle, he can signal that there will be no change in the Chief Minister’s post.

Speaking at the Valmiki Jayanti celebrations, Siddaramaiah also assured that a leader from the Valmiki community would be given a ministerial berth during the reshuffle.

–IANS

mka/dpb