News Analysis India

Tag: Atishi

  • AAP alleges Kejriwal weighed thrice in Tihar jail with different machines, not provided cooler

    New Delhi: A day after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal surrendered at the Tihar jail after completion of his interim bail in a money laundering case, the AAP leaders on Monday alleged that he was not provided cooler in his cell in prison and his weight was measured thrice in a “conspiracy”. The Tihar jail authorities refuted the AAP leaders’ claim, saying the chief minister’s weight was taken with one machine only and added that he was not provided cooler because the facility is provided after the court’s order. “The weight of Kejriwal is 63.5 kilogram, which was measured only once when he surrendered on Sunday. There was no problem with the weighing machine. His other vitals, including blood pressure and sugar, are normal,” a senior Tihar jail officer told PTI. In a press conference, senior AAP leader and Delhi minister Atishi claimed that Kejriwal’s weight was measured with three weighing machines during his medical examination in Tihar on Sunday. She also claimed that at a time when temperature in Delhi is ranging from 48 degrees to 50 degrees, Kejriwal was kept in a cell where not even a cooler was provided. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther States “Coolers are provided to even notorious criminals lodged in Tihar. While the popular Chief Minister Kejriwal has not been given the cooler. I want to ask the BJP and the LG how low will they stoop,” she said. Atishi said that Kejriwal suffered from diabetes for 30 years and his weight was falling since last few months, and alleged cruelty against him. “After he surrendered as a law abiding citizen, he has been kept in a heated cell without a cooler. I want to say to the BJP and the prime minister that not even the people of Delhi but the god also will not forgive them for causing atrocities to Kejriwal,” she said. Atishi also alleged that during his medical examination on Sunday, his weight was measured on three machines that showed different readings.

    His weight was found to be 61 kg and the Tihar officials used another machine that showed his weight to be 64 kg. The Tihar officials not satisfied with it used a third machine that showed his weight to be 66.5 kg, she said.

    “His weight was 70 kg when he was arrested by the ED on March 21 and it went down to 63 kg when he was weighed at home before surrendering on Monday. This shows a drop of 7 kg which is a serious matter yet the ED opposed his bail for medical tests,” she said.

    Atishi said Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj will take note of it because there appears to be a “very big conspiracy” behind this.

    The Tihar jail officer said that on May 10 when Kejriwal was released from jail his weight was 64 kg that was measured using the same machine that was used on Sunday.

    The officer said Kejriwal’s BP was measured 120/76 and sugar level remained at 120 on Monday.

    “Kejriwal is given the insulin twice a day and is under a regular watch of two doctors in the prisons,” the officer said.

    The chief minister talked to his wife Sunita Kejriwal through phone on Monday evening, he said.

    On the question of not providing cooler to the chief minister, the jail official said coolers are given to those inmates, who are unwell and the court orders the authorities to do so.

    AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh also in a post on X reiterated the charge that three machines were used to weigh Kejriwal in jail.

    “In the jail, Arvind Kejriwal’s weight was measured thrice with different machines, one showed 61 kg, the second 64 kg, the third 66.5 kg. Whereas when he was weighed at home before leaving, it was 63 kg. What kind of joke is this? LG sahab, please get the machine fixed,” he said in his post.

    Singh also said that Kejriwal was kept in a small cell without any cooler even as temperature was 44 degrees Celsius.

  • Delhi Jal Board: Delhi L-G pens open letter to CM Kejriwal, slams govt over water scarcity issues

    Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena has written an open letter to jailed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, claiming the death of a woman in a fight over fetching water reflects the government’s failure and Water Minister Atishi used the incident for “narrow political goals”. Atishi hit back at Saxena over the open letter, holding him responsible for the stoppage of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) works.

    The Delhi water minister had a few days ago written to the L-G, asking him to suspend the CEO of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) after a woman was killed following a quarrel with her neighbour over fetching water from a common tap in the Farsh Bazar area of northeast Delhi.

    In the note, Atishi urged Saxena to “institute an independent enquiry into the acts of omission and commission of the chief secretary, as well as officers of the finance department, urban development department and DJB”. Days after the communication, Saxena penned a strongly worded open letter to Kejriwal, currently lodged in Tihar jail after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy scam case.

    “I was deeply distressed at the insensitive communication from the Minister for Water… Atishi on Sunday. While I was yet to receive the letter, it characteristically found its way on various social and mainstream media platforms, the moment it was signed. She has chosen to use the unfortunate death of a woman in East Delhi for narrow and partisan political goals,” he charged.

    Having underlined the inadequate supply of water as the cause behind the incident, Atishi has ironically indicted her own government of more than nine years, the L-G said. “Her note indeed is a prima facie admission of guilt, inaction and inefficiency over the past almost 10 years,” he said in the letter. Asserting that this “unfortunate incident (woman’s death) is not the only such case of its kind in the context of Delhi”, he said many such incidents over water scarcity have happened in the past primarily due to the failure of the government.

    “Such instances have become a recurrent phenomenon year after year and have been widely reported in media over the last 10 years. I am enclosing a snapshot of some news clippings, starting 2017 for illustration. Water woes in the capital, especially in settlements where the poor live, have exacerbated over the last decade.

    “Your minister’s hasty missive to me is an admission of these failures and defaults of performance of your government and amount to facile attempts at shrugging responsibility off, a complex problem,” he added.

    Saxena cited official figures to highlight his points. He cited The Economic Survey 2023-24, tabled in the recent Budget Session of the Delhi Assembly.

    “Over the last decade, water treatment capacity grew marginally from 906 MGD to 946 MGD, barely a 4.4 per cent increase. During the same period, the population of the city has grown significantly by 15 per cent.

    “The overall shortfall in water supply amounts to about 290 MGD. Of the total water being supplied, 120 MGD comes from groundwater extraction, which is also a gross exaggeration. I am sure that you are aware that of the 16 Ranney wells, five are non-functional. Similarly, a large number of tubewells are also dysfunctional,” he added.

    The percentage of “unaccounted for water” — a sum of water leakages by way of transmission and distribution losses, water theft and non-payment of dues — saw a sharp increase from 45 per cent in 2015 to 58 per cent in 2022-2023, the L-G said.

    “By implication, in 2015, of the 906 MGD of water treated, only 498 MGD was accounted for. In 2022-23, of the 946 MGD treated, barely 397 MGD is accounted for. Accordingly, over the last decade, net water availability has decreased by more than 100 MGD due to the criminal neglect by your Government,” Saxena added.

    He said that of the about 2.5 crore people in the city, more than two crore are deprived of drinking water supply in varying degrees, especially in unauthorized colonies, slum clusters and to a lesser extent, even in organized developed colonies.

    “It simply points to the fact that there has been no effort whatsoever during the last ten years for plugging the leaks and we seem to be spending thousands of crores in pumping water into a leaking bucket,” the L-G said.

    Hitting back at Saxena, Atishi held him responsible for stopping DJB’s works

    The L-G encouraged the officers who obstructed work and did not take any action against them despite repeated requests, the Delhi water minister alleged.

  • Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana: Monthly Rs 1,000 honorarium scheme for Delhi women expected to roll out in Sep-Oct, says Atishi

    The Delhi government’s new scheme under which Rs 1,000 will be given to adult women is likely to be rolled out in September-October, Finance Minister Atishi said on Tuesday, adding she expects it to translate into more women votes for the AAP in the Lok Sabha polls. Atishi presented her maiden budget with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore in the Delhi Assembly on Monday.

    In an interview to PTI, Atishi said the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana will be notified after the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha polls is lifted and expressed hope that the scheme will roll out from September-October.

    Another key scheme that will be rolled out in the 2024-25 fiscal is the Business Blasters scheme in Delhi government-run universities. Under the scheme, Rs 2,000 seed money is given to Class 11 and Class 12 students.

    “The government will be giving a seed money of Rs 25,000 to each selected team of student at its universities for start-ups. We expect 1,000 teams will be part of the scheme,” she told PTI.

    The AAP is contesting the Lok Sabha elections in an alliance with the Congress, as part of the opposition INDIA bloc. Talking about the party’s prospects in the elections, she said the AAP is in a “strong position” and is in a “direct fight” with the BJP in the elections.

  • Bansuri Swaraj hits back after AAP alleges BJP candidate represented ‘anti-national powers’ in court

    New Delhi, The AAP on Sunday attacked the BJP for fielding Bansuri Swaraj from the New Delhi constituency in the Lok Sabha elections, claiming she had represented “anti-national powers” in court, even as she hit back at Delhi’s ruling party over its choice of candidate from the seat. Delhi Minister Atishi said at a press conference that Swaraj — the daughter of late BJP leader and former Union minister Sushma Swaraj — should apologise to the people of the country for taking up such cases and also demanded that the saffron party replace her.

    “Bansuri Swaraj has replaced Meenakshi Lekhi from the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency. She has represented anti-national powers in courts of law,” the senior AAP leader claimed.

    “She (Swaraj) represented the Chandigarh mayor who was elected by cheating in the recent mayoral polls. She has represented Lalit Modi, a fugitive, from 2012 to 2014 in courts of law,” Atishi alleged. She also demanded that the BJP change its candidate from the constituency.

    Hitting back, Swaraj questioned the AAP on its choice of candidate, who was allegedly beaten up by his own cadre in Rajendra Nagar on Saturday.

    Responding to the AAP’s allegations, she said, “I would like to ask the AAP — why have you fielded a candidate who was beaten up by his own cadre in Rajendra Nagar yesterday (Saturday)?” “They have named a candidate who is not liked by his own party members. They can put allegations against us but people will give them a reply in the elections,” she said.

    The AAP has named Somnath Bharti as its candidate from the New Delhi seat.

  • Atishi declares order of appointing Delhi govt standing counsel on interim basis ‘invalid’

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Law Minister Atishi has declared as “invalid” an order issued by the principal secretary (Law) appointing another lawyer as standing counsel to represent Delhi government before the Delhi High Court on interim basis instead of standing counsel (civil) Santosh Kumar Tripathi.

    The minister, in an order issued on February 15, said “Tripathi will continue to handle the responsibilities of standing counsel (civil), Delhi High Court, GNCTD”.

    A copy of the order has also been sent to the registrar general of the high court.Earlier this month, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena had said that government counsel have made “misleading” statements before the high court related to a report on the opening of liquor vends in conforming and non-conforming wards while implementing the now-rescinded excise policy in the national capital, officials had said.

    Later on February 14, the principal secretary (Law) issued an order stating, “As an interim arrangement and to ensure proper representation of GNCTD of Delhi before Hon’ble High Court of Delhi, Shri Anupam Srivastava, Additional Standing Counsel (Civil) is hereby appointed Standing Counsel (Civil), Delhi High Court NCT of Delhi till further orders. He will perform all the duties of Standing Counsel (Civil), Delhi High Court, GNCT of Delhi and conduct the cases presently handled by Shri Santosh Kumar Tripathi.”

    Taking note of this, the next day Atishi issued an order saying that the principal secretary (Law) had issued the order on the directions of the LG and the Chief Secretary and the appointment of the standing counsel is a transferred subject and is a decision taken by the Council of Ministers of the Delhi government.”Removal or appointment of a standing counsel (whether in a permanent or interim manner) is outside the, purview of the Hon’ble LG. Neither is this covered under the GNCTD Amendment Act 2023,” she said in the order.”The impugned order has been issued by principal secretary (Law) without the approval of the minister in-charge and is therefore without basis in law, and is in violation of Allocation of Business Rules, Transaction of Business Rules, GNCTD Act and Article 239AA of the Constitution. Therefore, the impugned order is ab initio null and void, and therefore declared invalid,” she said.

    The principal secretary (Law) on the instructions of LG, had also asked Tripathi not to appear on behalf of Delhi government before any court of law till further orders and till the decision is taken in the matter by the competent authority.

    A similar order was also issued to advocate Arun Panwar, who is also a panel counsel of Delhi government.

    Earlier, Raj Niwas officials had said the proposal of the Excise Commissioner to submit the report of the committee — set up on the orders of the Delhi High Court regarding conforming and non-conforming wards — to the court was moved for LG’s approval on August 18, 2022.

    However, it was stalled by the then minister twice, officials had said.

    “All this while the government kept telling on record in HC, that the report was pending with LG. It prompted the court to request the LG thrice to clear the file for submission of the report expeditiously, despite the fact that the file was not with LG.

    “The proposal was cleared by Atishi (Delhi minister) who sent it for further recommendation to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who cleared it on January 16 this year and sent it to LG,” an official had said.

    In a file noting to Kejriwal, Saxena noted that the file relating to the approval of the report was received at the LG Secretariat on January 16 this year — after a lapse of one year and five months since it was first moved for LG’s approval on August 18, 2022, the official had said.

    Saxena had noted in the file that the case is a “sad reflection on the manner in which the state government counsels made false and misleading statements” before the court, showing the Lieutenant Governor and his office in poor light in the eyes of the court.

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  • Delhi Minister Atishi criticises crime branch’s “interesting” notice, says it is “neither an FIR nor summons”

    Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi expressed skepticism regarding the nature of the notice served by the crime branch in connection with the poaching claim case on Sunday, highlighting that it lacked clarity.Atishi stated, “This morning around six officials from the Crime Branch came to my house, waited for 2-3 hours, and repeatedly went in and out. They had come to give a crime branch notice and wanted to hand it to me directly.””This notice is very interesting. It is neither an FIR nor summons. It does not have sections of IPC, CrPC, PMLA, or the Prevention of Corruption Act,” Atishi added.She mocked that the Delhi Police gave her and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal a “letter”.

    “Overall, after almost 48 hours of drama, CM Arvind Kejriwal and I were given letters, and that’s all,” she said.

    The minister further reiterated her ‘MLA poaching’ remark and claimed that Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and 11 other MLAs are the ‘same people’ who break away AAP MLAs.”The people who came to take break Eknath Shinde and 11 other MLAs are the same people who came to break away AAP MLAs,” Atishi said.”I want to tell the heads of the Crime Branch that you already know the people who have been trying to break the Opposition governments (in states) for the past 7-8 years. These are the same people contacting AAP MLAs,” Atishi asserted.

    Earlier in the day, a Crime Branch team arrived at the door of AAP leader Atishi to serve a notice in connection with her claim that the BJP was trying to prise away the party’s MLAs through cash inducements and topple the government as part of ‘Operation Lotus 2.0’.

    The Crime Branch served a notice on AAP leader and minister Atishi in the poaching claim case, asking her to respond within three days.

    Meanwhile, Delhi Police Crime Branch served a fresh notice on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to respond to his charges of poaching attempts by the BJP with evidence by Monday.

    “An inquiry is being conducted by the Crime Branch of Delhi police, on a complaint received in respect of the allegations made by you that the BJP has offered Rs 25 crore each to the sitting MLAs of AAP for leaving the party and joining the BJP. These allegations were posted by you on X on January 27, 2024,” a letter undersigned by Pankaj Arora, ACP of Central Range Crime said.

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  • Arvind Kejriwal-ED row: Political leaders react to Delhi CM's claim of BJP vendetta

    Arvind Kejriwal-ED row: Political leaders react to Delhi CM's claim of BJP vendetta