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Tag: BJP

  • BJP ‘purifies’ Rajghat with Ganga jal after AAP MLAs’ visit; compares Kejriwal to Goebbels 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The BJP on Thursday sprinkled ‘Ganga jal’ on Rajghat after AAP legislators had visited the memorial, and its MP Manoj Tiwari took the point further by comparing Arvind Kejriwal to Joseph Goebbels and accusing him of lying repeatedly.

    The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying its various allegations were like a “movie script” meant to mislead the public on the “scam” in Delhi’s now-scrapped excise policy 2021-22.

    The BJP alleged that by visiting Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial Rajghat, AAP supremo Kejriwal has desecrated the place and the BJP workers sprinkled ‘Ganga jal’ there to “purify” it.

    Reacting to the AAP’s claims that the BJP was trying to poach its MLAs with an offer of Rs 20 crore each to switch sides, Tiwari said that everyday the AAP was coming up with old “movie scripts” to divert the public from the real issue.

    “This is a total flop show of the AAP. Kejriwal ji you have to speak on the excise policy but your silence on this issue says a lot. You always come up with the same old, worn-out movie script to divert public attention. Arvind, you have become a descendant of Goebbels, who used to think that if you keep telling the public a lie, they will start believing it as a truth,” Tiwari said.

    Goebbels was the propaganda minister in Adolf Hitler’s Nazi government. Tiwari said those indulged in the “liquor scam” visited the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.

    “Are these descendants of Goebbels even worthy of visiting the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi?” Tiwari asked.

    He said that the Delhi government’s excise policy was opposed by everyone including women and children in the city.

    “Public is demanding answers about the controversy surrounding the excise policy. You (Kejriwal) are busy in diverting the issue after gobbling up the public money. You should answer that why your excise policy was taken back as soon as the CBI enquiry was ordered?” Tiwari asked.

    BJP MP from west Delhi Parvesh Sahib Singh also hit out at the AAP and said the party was doing “theatrics” instead of coming clean on allegations of “scam” in the excise policy.

    “Arvind Kejriwal, who is hand-in-glove with the liquor mafia, desecrated the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, who used to speak against liquor. Our party workers will sprinkle Ganga water to purify the place,” Singh said.

    He said that those involved in the “scam” are bound to go behind bars for the corruption they have committed because the investigation agencies have all the incriminating evidence against them.

    The CBI is currently probing alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the Kejriwal government’s new excise policy and has named his deputy Manish Sisodia, who holds excise portfolio, as one of the accused in its FIR.

    The agency had also conducted a raid at the Deputy CM’s residence last week.

    NEW DELHI: The BJP on Thursday sprinkled ‘Ganga jal’ on Rajghat after AAP legislators had visited the memorial, and its MP Manoj Tiwari took the point further by comparing Arvind Kejriwal to Joseph Goebbels and accusing him of lying repeatedly.

    The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying its various allegations were like a “movie script” meant to mislead the public on the “scam” in Delhi’s now-scrapped excise policy 2021-22.

    The BJP alleged that by visiting Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial Rajghat, AAP supremo Kejriwal has desecrated the place and the BJP workers sprinkled ‘Ganga jal’ there to “purify” it.

    Reacting to the AAP’s claims that the BJP was trying to poach its MLAs with an offer of Rs 20 crore each to switch sides, Tiwari said that everyday the AAP was coming up with old “movie scripts” to divert the public from the real issue.

    “This is a total flop show of the AAP. Kejriwal ji you have to speak on the excise policy but your silence on this issue says a lot. You always come up with the same old, worn-out movie script to divert public attention. Arvind, you have become a descendant of Goebbels, who used to think that if you keep telling the public a lie, they will start believing it as a truth,” Tiwari said.

    Goebbels was the propaganda minister in Adolf Hitler’s Nazi government. Tiwari said those indulged in the “liquor scam” visited the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.

    “Are these descendants of Goebbels even worthy of visiting the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi?” Tiwari asked.

    He said that the Delhi government’s excise policy was opposed by everyone including women and children in the city.

    “Public is demanding answers about the controversy surrounding the excise policy. You (Kejriwal) are busy in diverting the issue after gobbling up the public money. You should answer that why your excise policy was taken back as soon as the CBI enquiry was ordered?” Tiwari asked.

    BJP MP from west Delhi Parvesh Sahib Singh also hit out at the AAP and said the party was doing “theatrics” instead of coming clean on allegations of “scam” in the excise policy.

    “Arvind Kejriwal, who is hand-in-glove with the liquor mafia, desecrated the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, who used to speak against liquor. Our party workers will sprinkle Ganga water to purify the place,” Singh said.

    He said that those involved in the “scam” are bound to go behind bars for the corruption they have committed because the investigation agencies have all the incriminating evidence against them.

    The CBI is currently probing alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the Kejriwal government’s new excise policy and has named his deputy Manish Sisodia, who holds excise portfolio, as one of the accused in its FIR.

    The agency had also conducted a raid at the Deputy CM’s residence last week.

  • BJP stages protests across Delhi over excise policy ‘scam’

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi unit of the BJP on Thursday held protests across the city over the alleged liquor scam by the Arvind Kejriwal government, burning effigies of AAP leaders and charging them with trying to divert people’s attention from the issue.

    Participating in a protest at R K Ashram, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta asked what was Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal waiting for before sacking Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, an accused in the liquor scam, and minister Satyendar Jain who was in jail in a money laundering case.

    “Kejriwal had once said that those who indulge in corruption are traitors of the country but now he has no answers for the corruption in his government’s excise policy,” Gupta said.

    “The BJP is asking why liquor manufacturers were allowed in retail trade, black-listed companies were given licences and fees worth crores of rupees were waived,” he said.

    Union minister Meenakashi Lekhi at a protest in C R Park attacked the Kejriwal government, saying it was busy minting money instead of helping the people of Delhi.

    East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir took a dig at Kejriwal over his charge that the BJP was trying to poach AAP MLAs.

    “Kejriwal ji whether you were also offered the post of Prime Minister in 2024 by the BJP,” Gambhir said in a tweet.

    केजरीवाल जी, कहीं 2024 के लिए प्रधानमंत्री पद का भी ऑफर तो नहीं दे दिया आपको भाजपा ने?

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi unit of the BJP on Thursday held protests across the city over the alleged liquor scam by the Arvind Kejriwal government, burning effigies of AAP leaders and charging them with trying to divert people’s attention from the issue.

    Participating in a protest at R K Ashram, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta asked what was Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal waiting for before sacking Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, an accused in the liquor scam, and minister Satyendar Jain who was in jail in a money laundering case.

    “Kejriwal had once said that those who indulge in corruption are traitors of the country but now he has no answers for the corruption in his government’s excise policy,” Gupta said.

    “The BJP is asking why liquor manufacturers were allowed in retail trade, black-listed companies were given licences and fees worth crores of rupees were waived,” he said.

    Union minister Meenakashi Lekhi at a protest in C R Park attacked the Kejriwal government, saying it was busy minting money instead of helping the people of Delhi.

    East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir took a dig at Kejriwal over his charge that the BJP was trying to poach AAP MLAs.

    “Kejriwal ji whether you were also offered the post of Prime Minister in 2024 by the BJP,” Gambhir said in a tweet.

    केजरीवाल जी, कहीं 2024 के लिए प्रधानमंत्री पद का भी ऑफर तो नहीं दे दिया आपको भाजपा ने?

  • ‘Nefarious and fabricated campaign against me’: Gadkari hits out at detractors

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday hit out at its detractors for “concocting” his statements for a “nefarious and fabricated” campaign for political mileage.

    The outspoken minister, who last week was dropped from the BJP parliamentary board, hinted at taking legal recourse in the larger interest of the government and the party.

    “Today, once again, efforts were being made to continue the nefarious and fabricated campaign against me for political mileage on my behest by some section of mainstream media, social media and some persons in particular by concocting my statements at public programmes without context or correct reference,” he tweeted.

    He tweeted a YouTube link of his speech made at a book launch function on Tuesday that was selectively being used on social media.

    “Although, I’ve never been disturbed by such malicious agendas of fringe elements but all concerned are hereby warned that If such mischief continues, I will not hesitate to take them to the law in the larger interest of our Government, Party and millions of our hardworking Karyakartas,” he tweeted tagging BJP president J P Nadda and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

    A storyteller, Gadkari had at the book launch narrated an old incident where he had taken up the cause of building a road to a village in Maharashtra and had told the concerned official that if he stood by him it was fine but even otherwise it was fine with him.

    “I am not bothered about the consequences but I will do this job. If possible stand by me else I am not bothered,” he had said at the book launch referring to his conversation with the concerned official.

    This statement was cut to project on social media to say as if he was not bothered about losing his position.

    In particular, Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh had tweeted that truncated video, asking why Gadkari was saying this.

    “BJP mein bahut badi gadbad chal rahi hai (there is something amiss in BJP),” he tweeted on Thursday morning.

    Gadkari’s tweet also came on a day when a leading newspaper carried a report quoting multiple senior BJP sources to say the former party president was dropped from the parliamentary board for his propensity to make “out of turn” and colourful remarks.

    The Minister in the tweet on Thursday said he was sharing the link of what he had actually said at the book launch to clear the air.

    NEW DELHI: Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday hit out at its detractors for “concocting” his statements for a “nefarious and fabricated” campaign for political mileage.

    The outspoken minister, who last week was dropped from the BJP parliamentary board, hinted at taking legal recourse in the larger interest of the government and the party.

    “Today, once again, efforts were being made to continue the nefarious and fabricated campaign against me for political mileage on my behest by some section of mainstream media, social media and some persons in particular by concocting my statements at public programmes without context or correct reference,” he tweeted.

    He tweeted a YouTube link of his speech made at a book launch function on Tuesday that was selectively being used on social media.

    “Although, I’ve never been disturbed by such malicious agendas of fringe elements but all concerned are hereby warned that If such mischief continues, I will not hesitate to take them to the law in the larger interest of our Government, Party and millions of our hardworking Karyakartas,” he tweeted tagging BJP president J P Nadda and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

    A storyteller, Gadkari had at the book launch narrated an old incident where he had taken up the cause of building a road to a village in Maharashtra and had told the concerned official that if he stood by him it was fine but even otherwise it was fine with him.

    “I am not bothered about the consequences but I will do this job. If possible stand by me else I am not bothered,” he had said at the book launch referring to his conversation with the concerned official.

    This statement was cut to project on social media to say as if he was not bothered about losing his position.

    In particular, Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh had tweeted that truncated video, asking why Gadkari was saying this.

    “BJP mein bahut badi gadbad chal rahi hai (there is something amiss in BJP),” he tweeted on Thursday morning.

    Gadkari’s tweet also came on a day when a leading newspaper carried a report quoting multiple senior BJP sources to say the former party president was dropped from the parliamentary board for his propensity to make “out of turn” and colourful remarks.

    The Minister in the tweet on Thursday said he was sharing the link of what he had actually said at the book launch to clear the air.

  • Bigger platform of secular forces needed to counter challenges posed by BJP: Yechury

    By PTI

    AGARTALA: CPI(M) general secretary Sitram Yechury on Wednesday stressed the need for forming a bigger platform of secular forces to counter the challenges posed by the saffron camp.

    Attempts are being made to push for fascistic Hindutva’ in the country by scuttling the Constitutional spirit, Yechury said at a party programme here.

    “The four main pillars of Indian democracy – secularism, economic sovereignty, social justice and federalism – are at stake. The government is not accountable as Parliament has stopped functioning properly,” he said. The Constitution could not be saved if the BJP is not uprooted from power, the CPI(M) leader claimed.

    “Besides consolidating the strength of the CPI (M) and other Left parties, there is a need to bring all secular forces together to counter the challenges the county is facing now. The united fight of security forces can save the country from becoming a fascistic Hindutva state,” he said.

    Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, Yechury alleged that the central government has been trying to destroy the spirit of the secular democratic republic, the foundation of the Indian constitution.

    Claiming that the BJP has brought in ‘bulldozer politics’, the CPI(M) general secretary claimed that those who are following the Constitution are being sent to jail while garland is offered to those violating it. The party in power at the Centre continues to form government no matter if it loses or wins polls, he said.

    “Elections are not being conducted free and fairly. The BJP has been able to form government in some states like Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh even after defeats,” he said.

    On the release of the 11 life convicts in the Bilkis Bano case, he said they were set free following the recommendation of the BJP government in Gujarat.

    “It is good the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case,”, he said. The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to consider listing a plea challenging the grant of remission by the Gujarat government to 11 life convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case.

    Bano, who was pregnant at that time, was gang-raped while 14 people including her three-year-old daughter, were killed during the Gujarat riot in 2002. Former chief minister and CPI(M) Politburo member Manik Sarkar and the party’s state secretary Jitendra Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.

    AGARTALA: CPI(M) general secretary Sitram Yechury on Wednesday stressed the need for forming a bigger platform of secular forces to counter the challenges posed by the saffron camp.

    Attempts are being made to push for fascistic Hindutva’ in the country by scuttling the Constitutional spirit, Yechury said at a party programme here.

    “The four main pillars of Indian democracy – secularism, economic sovereignty, social justice and federalism – are at stake. The government is not accountable as Parliament has stopped functioning properly,” he said. The Constitution could not be saved if the BJP is not uprooted from power, the CPI(M) leader claimed.

    “Besides consolidating the strength of the CPI (M) and other Left parties, there is a need to bring all secular forces together to counter the challenges the county is facing now. The united fight of security forces can save the country from becoming a fascistic Hindutva state,” he said.

    Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, Yechury alleged that the central government has been trying to destroy the spirit of the secular democratic republic, the foundation of the Indian constitution.

    Claiming that the BJP has brought in ‘bulldozer politics’, the CPI(M) general secretary claimed that those who are following the Constitution are being sent to jail while garland is offered to those violating it. The party in power at the Centre continues to form government no matter if it loses or wins polls, he said.

    “Elections are not being conducted free and fairly. The BJP has been able to form government in some states like Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh even after defeats,” he said.

    On the release of the 11 life convicts in the Bilkis Bano case, he said they were set free following the recommendation of the BJP government in Gujarat.

    “It is good the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case,”, he said. The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to consider listing a plea challenging the grant of remission by the Gujarat government to 11 life convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case.

    Bano, who was pregnant at that time, was gang-raped while 14 people including her three-year-old daughter, were killed during the Gujarat riot in 2002. Former chief minister and CPI(M) Politburo member Manik Sarkar and the party’s state secretary Jitendra Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.

  • Nitish Kumar wins floor test in Bihar assembly; Centre comes under scathing attack

    By Online Desk

    Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday won the motion of confidence by voice vote in a special session of the Assembly even as the BJP staged a walkout.

    According to a report, 165 MLAs in the 243-member assembly, (current strength 241), have pledged their support for Nitish Kumar. 

    Meanwhile, the BJP legislators staged a walkout as the Janata Dal (United) supremo and CM Nitish Kumar launched a scathing attack on the Centre.

    ALSO READ | Nitish Kumar: Running strong despite twists and turns

    Earlier, ahead of the floor test, the BJP’s Vijay Kumar Sinha resigned as the speaker of the Assembly after a no-confidence motion against him was moved by the MLAs of the ruling coalition.

    The special session of the Assembly is being held weeks after Kumar snapped ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and brought back the Mahagathbandhan to power after joining hands with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

    More details follows…

    Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday won the motion of confidence by voice vote in a special session of the Assembly even as the BJP staged a walkout.

    According to a report, 165 MLAs in the 243-member assembly, (current strength 241), have pledged their support for Nitish Kumar. 

    Meanwhile, the BJP legislators staged a walkout as the Janata Dal (United) supremo and CM Nitish Kumar launched a scathing attack on the Centre.

    ALSO READ | Nitish Kumar: Running strong despite twists and turns

    Earlier, ahead of the floor test, the BJP’s Vijay Kumar Sinha resigned as the speaker of the Assembly after a no-confidence motion against him was moved by the MLAs of the ruling coalition.

    The special session of the Assembly is being held weeks after Kumar snapped ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and brought back the Mahagathbandhan to power after joining hands with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

    More details follows…

  • BJP offered Rs 20 crore each to four MLAs to switch sides: AAP

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed on Wednesday that the BJP has approached four of its legislators in Delhi, asking them to switch sides and join the saffron party or else, face “false cases, the CBI and the ED”.

    Addressing a press conference here, AAP’s national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the MLAs Ajay Dutt, Sanjeev Jha, Somnath Bharati and Kuldeep Kumar have been approached by leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with whom they have “friendly relations”.

    Taking to Twitter, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said it is “a very serious matter” and a meeting of the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) has been convened at his residence at 4 pm to “take stock of the situation and chalk out further strategy”.

    “They (the four AAP legislators) have been offered Rs 20 crore each if they join the BJP and Rs 25 crore if they bring other MLAs along with them,” Singh said.

    “They (BJP leaders) told our MLAs that if they do not accept the offer and join the BJP, they will also have to face false cases, the CBI and the ED like (Delhi Deputy Chief Minister) Manish Sisodia is facing,” he added.

    ALSO READ | Delhi Excise Policy row: AAP says BJP threatened, offered bribes to its MLAs

    Singh accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making efforts to bring AAP legislators into the BJP-fold “by hook or crook” and topple the Kejriwal government.

    “Modiji is trying to make AAP MLAs break away from the party and topple the Delhi government by misusing probe agencies, sending his people to offer money to them and threaten them of consequences if they do not switch sides,” he said.

    Singh claimed that the BJP leaders with whom Dutt, Jha, Bharati and Kumar have “friendly relations” came to meet them with the saffron party’s “offer”.

    “The experiment that was successful in (the case of Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde in Maharashtra) and failed in the case of Manish Sisodia is now being tried on our MLAs,” he said.

    “Shame on you Modiji,” Singh said and asked the prime minister to “stop” making such efforts and focus on addressing issues like price rise and unemployment that the country is facing.

    AAP MLAs can neither be intimated nor lured by money for switching sides as they have come out of a “movement”, the Rajya Sabha member asserted while referring to the Anna Hazare-led India Against Corruption movement of 2011 during the days of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre.

    The four AAP MLAs who have allegedly been approached by the BJP were also present at the press conference.

    Taking to Twitter, Sisodia warned the BJP-led Centre against making efforts to “poach” AAP MLAs by misusing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and offering money, and said they will “give up” their lives but will not betray their party as they are the “soldiers” of Kejriwal and followers of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

    “After they failed to break me, they have started conspiring to make other AAP MLAs break away (from the party) by offering Rs 20 crore to each of them, threatening them of raids,” the deputy chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi.

    “They (AAP MLAs) are the soldiers of Arvind Kejriwal and followers of Bhagat Singh,” he said, adding, “They will sacrifice their lives but will not betray (the party). Your ED-CBI is of no use in front of them.” 

    Kejriwal tweeted: “This is a very serious matter. To take stock of the situation and to chalk out further strategy, a meeting of our party’s Political Affairs Committee has been called at my residence today at 4 pm.”

    NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed on Wednesday that the BJP has approached four of its legislators in Delhi, asking them to switch sides and join the saffron party or else, face “false cases, the CBI and the ED”.

    Addressing a press conference here, AAP’s national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the MLAs Ajay Dutt, Sanjeev Jha, Somnath Bharati and Kuldeep Kumar have been approached by leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with whom they have “friendly relations”.

    Taking to Twitter, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said it is “a very serious matter” and a meeting of the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) has been convened at his residence at 4 pm to “take stock of the situation and chalk out further strategy”.

    “They (the four AAP legislators) have been offered Rs 20 crore each if they join the BJP and Rs 25 crore if they bring other MLAs along with them,” Singh said.

    “They (BJP leaders) told our MLAs that if they do not accept the offer and join the BJP, they will also have to face false cases, the CBI and the ED like (Delhi Deputy Chief Minister) Manish Sisodia is facing,” he added.

    ALSO READ | Delhi Excise Policy row: AAP says BJP threatened, offered bribes to its MLAs

    Singh accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making efforts to bring AAP legislators into the BJP-fold “by hook or crook” and topple the Kejriwal government.

    “Modiji is trying to make AAP MLAs break away from the party and topple the Delhi government by misusing probe agencies, sending his people to offer money to them and threaten them of consequences if they do not switch sides,” he said.

    Singh claimed that the BJP leaders with whom Dutt, Jha, Bharati and Kumar have “friendly relations” came to meet them with the saffron party’s “offer”.

    “The experiment that was successful in (the case of Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde in Maharashtra) and failed in the case of Manish Sisodia is now being tried on our MLAs,” he said.

    “Shame on you Modiji,” Singh said and asked the prime minister to “stop” making such efforts and focus on addressing issues like price rise and unemployment that the country is facing.

    AAP MLAs can neither be intimated nor lured by money for switching sides as they have come out of a “movement”, the Rajya Sabha member asserted while referring to the Anna Hazare-led India Against Corruption movement of 2011 during the days of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre.

    The four AAP MLAs who have allegedly been approached by the BJP were also present at the press conference.

    Taking to Twitter, Sisodia warned the BJP-led Centre against making efforts to “poach” AAP MLAs by misusing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and offering money, and said they will “give up” their lives but will not betray their party as they are the “soldiers” of Kejriwal and followers of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

    “After they failed to break me, they have started conspiring to make other AAP MLAs break away (from the party) by offering Rs 20 crore to each of them, threatening them of raids,” the deputy chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi.

    “They (AAP MLAs) are the soldiers of Arvind Kejriwal and followers of Bhagat Singh,” he said, adding, “They will sacrifice their lives but will not betray (the party). Your ED-CBI is of no use in front of them.” 

    Kejriwal tweeted: “This is a very serious matter. To take stock of the situation and to chalk out further strategy, a meeting of our party’s Political Affairs Committee has been called at my residence today at 4 pm.”

  • Amid Delhi Excise Policy row, Kejriwal, Sisodia to interact with youth on second day of Gujarat visit

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia will on Tuesday interact with youth in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar city on the issues of education and employment on the second day of their visit to the state where elections are due later this year.

    On Monday, the two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders participated in a programme in Himmatnagar where they interacted with voters.

    AAP national convener Kejriwal and Sisodia, who is the education minister of Delhi, will hold a town hall meet on education and employment on Tuesday with youth from Gujarat in Bhavnagar, a state party official said.

    They have offered several guarantees to voters in Gujarat if their party comes to power in the state.

    After guarantees like free electricity, freedom from “raid raaj” for businessmen, Rs 3000 per month unemployment allowance, 10 lakh government jobs and Rs 1000 per month to women above the age of 18, Kejriwal on Monday promised free and quality healthcare to all, like his government has ensured to the people of Delhi.

    Kejriwal has been on a campaigning spree in Gujarat.

    He has visited the state five times in August so far.

    He started the month by campaigning at Veraval in Gir Somnath district and Rajkot.

    During his next visit, he interacted with the trader community in Jamnagar and tribals at Bodeli in Chhota Udepur district.

    He later held a town hall meet in Ahmedabad, and then at Bhuj in Kutch during two separate visits.

    ALSO READ | Sameer Mahendru: From CBI witness in 2013 graft case to accused in Delhi excise ‘scam’

    Kejriwal, who is also the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener, expressed apprehension that Sisodia may be arrested soon.

    Sisodia is among 15 people and entities named in an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi excise policy.

    However, Kejriwal came out in strong defence of his deputy, who holds education and finance among a host of key portfolios in the Delhi government.

    “The New York Times has lauded our education model,” Kejriwal, on his fifth visit in a month to poll-bound Gujarat, said in Ahmedabad, referring to an article in the reputed US daily on transformation of schools in the national capital under the AAP government.

    Instead of appreciating Sisodia, he is being targeted, Kejriwal told reporters here.

    “Don’t you feel ashamed to make the CBI conduct raids on a man who did wonders in five years, did what existing political parties could not do in 70 years and made government schools the best. Such a man should get the Bharat Ratna (India’s highest civilian award),” the CM said.

    The AAP chief expressed apprehension Sisodia may be arrested soon.

    “Manish Sisodia may be arrested; who knows I may also be arrested. All this is being done in view of the Gujarat Assembly elections,” he said.

    Kejriwal said the people of Gujarat are “sad” and are bearing the brunt of the “arrogance” of the BJP regime of the last 27 years in the state.

    He promised quality education and health care to the people of Gujarat if the AAP comes to power in the state, where the Assembly polls are due by the year-end.

    Defending the Delhi government’s liquor policy, Kejriwal said they were forced to change it.

    “A total 850 (liquor) shops had to open in Delhi. But only 350 shops could open, 500 shops could not open. The way the Centre and all agencies started pressuring our officers, they said no to auctioning new shops. The LG (Lieutenant Governor), police, and central agencies were putting pressure. The policy is very good, and we are ready to debate with anyone,” he said.

    ALSO READ | Delhi Excise Policy row: CBI denies sending LOC to Sisodia; BJP says handcuffs getting closer to Kejriwal

    Sisodia and Kejriwal are on a two-day visit to Gujarat to reach out to voters ahead of the Assembly polls scheduled for later this year.

    Addressing a joint conference in Ahmedabad, Kejriwal and Sisodia “guaranteed” free and quality education and healthcare in poll-bound Gujarat along the lines of Delhi if the AAP was voted to power.

    Sisodia said good education is the right of every child in Gujarat, irrespective of whether he lives in a village, or city, or studies in a government or private school.

    Kejriwal promised free and quality healthcare to all in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

    “If voted to power, the AAP government will set up clinics like ‘mohalla’ clinics of Delhi at village and ward levels and improve the infrastructure of government hospitals to compete with private hospitals. The AAP government will also implement the Delhi scheme of free treatment for accident victims,” Kejriwal said.

    At the presser, Kejriwal introduced Sisodia as the “world’s best education minister” quoting a New York Times report.

    “We assure to provide the best education system to every child born in Gujarat as we have done in Delhi. I appeal to all to give Arvind Kejriwal a chance if you want Gujarat to progress and move forward. The Aam Aadmi Party and CM Kejriwal guarantee to provide a free and best education system in Gujarat,” Sisodia said.

    Kejriwal also addressed a townhall meeting in Himmatnagar town of Sabarkantha district, where he sought to position the contest between the BJP and the AAP in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls as a “Dharamyudh” like the Mahabharat where the ruling outfit has the “armies” of probe agencies CBI and the ED on its side, while his party has the “support of Lord Krishna”.

    ALSO READ | Delhi Excise Policy row: Mehbooba Mufti slams Congress for anti-AAP protests; Congress MP hits back

    Kejriwal compared the BJP with the Kauravas, the defeated villains of the Mahabharat, and his side as the Pandavas, the victorious heroes of the Hindu epic.

    He claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Gujarat is yearning for a change and the AAP has received immense support from people.

    This was the reason why the CBI raided the home of Sisodia in connection with the Delhi excise policy a few days ago, the AAP’s national convener said.

    Sisodia who was also present in the town hall programme.

    “This is a Dharamyudh (religious war) like the Mahabharat,” Kejriwal said, and narrated the story of how Duryodhan (from Kauravas) and Arjun (from Pandavas) approached Lord Krishna for support before the 18-day war began.

    Arjun said he wanted Lord Krishna on his side, while Duryodhan sought his army, the CM said.

    “Today, these people (a reference to BJP) have all the armies, power, the CBI, the ED (Enforcement Directorate), the Income Tax, police and a lot of money. We have Shree Krishna with us. We have God with us. And in the end truth, God will prevail. God resides in the hearts of people, they are God. They (BJP) may harass us, but people are with us,” he said at the town hall organised by the AAP as part of its election campaign.

    Kejriwal said his government in Delhi has implemented far-reaching reforms in education and healthcare which were not seen in 75 years of Independence.

    He said Gujarat wants a change after 27 years of the BJP rule.

    “So far Gujarat did not have an alternative. Now, they have got a good, honest alternative, and people want good works to be done in the state like what all are being done in Delhi and now Punjab (also ruled by AAP),” said the bureaucrat-turned-politician.

    He reiterated his party’s pre-poll promises of providing 10 lakh government jobs, paying Rs 5,000 unemployment dole and Rs 3,000 allowance to women above 18 years of age.

    AHMEDABAD: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia will on Tuesday interact with youth in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar city on the issues of education and employment on the second day of their visit to the state where elections are due later this year.

    On Monday, the two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders participated in a programme in Himmatnagar where they interacted with voters.

    AAP national convener Kejriwal and Sisodia, who is the education minister of Delhi, will hold a town hall meet on education and employment on Tuesday with youth from Gujarat in Bhavnagar, a state party official said.

    They have offered several guarantees to voters in Gujarat if their party comes to power in the state.

    After guarantees like free electricity, freedom from “raid raaj” for businessmen, Rs 3000 per month unemployment allowance, 10 lakh government jobs and Rs 1000 per month to women above the age of 18, Kejriwal on Monday promised free and quality healthcare to all, like his government has ensured to the people of Delhi.

    Kejriwal has been on a campaigning spree in Gujarat.

    He has visited the state five times in August so far.

    He started the month by campaigning at Veraval in Gir Somnath district and Rajkot.

    During his next visit, he interacted with the trader community in Jamnagar and tribals at Bodeli in Chhota Udepur district.

    He later held a town hall meet in Ahmedabad, and then at Bhuj in Kutch during two separate visits.

    ALSO READ | Sameer Mahendru: From CBI witness in 2013 graft case to accused in Delhi excise ‘scam’

    Kejriwal, who is also the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener, expressed apprehension that Sisodia may be arrested soon.

    Sisodia is among 15 people and entities named in an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi excise policy.

    However, Kejriwal came out in strong defence of his deputy, who holds education and finance among a host of key portfolios in the Delhi government.

    “The New York Times has lauded our education model,” Kejriwal, on his fifth visit in a month to poll-bound Gujarat, said in Ahmedabad, referring to an article in the reputed US daily on transformation of schools in the national capital under the AAP government.

    Instead of appreciating Sisodia, he is being targeted, Kejriwal told reporters here.

    “Don’t you feel ashamed to make the CBI conduct raids on a man who did wonders in five years, did what existing political parties could not do in 70 years and made government schools the best. Such a man should get the Bharat Ratna (India’s highest civilian award),” the CM said.

    The AAP chief expressed apprehension Sisodia may be arrested soon.

    “Manish Sisodia may be arrested; who knows I may also be arrested. All this is being done in view of the Gujarat Assembly elections,” he said.

    Kejriwal said the people of Gujarat are “sad” and are bearing the brunt of the “arrogance” of the BJP regime of the last 27 years in the state.

    He promised quality education and health care to the people of Gujarat if the AAP comes to power in the state, where the Assembly polls are due by the year-end.

    Defending the Delhi government’s liquor policy, Kejriwal said they were forced to change it.

    “A total 850 (liquor) shops had to open in Delhi. But only 350 shops could open, 500 shops could not open. The way the Centre and all agencies started pressuring our officers, they said no to auctioning new shops. The LG (Lieutenant Governor), police, and central agencies were putting pressure. The policy is very good, and we are ready to debate with anyone,” he said.

    ALSO READ | Delhi Excise Policy row: CBI denies sending LOC to Sisodia; BJP says handcuffs getting closer to Kejriwal

    Sisodia and Kejriwal are on a two-day visit to Gujarat to reach out to voters ahead of the Assembly polls scheduled for later this year.

    Addressing a joint conference in Ahmedabad, Kejriwal and Sisodia “guaranteed” free and quality education and healthcare in poll-bound Gujarat along the lines of Delhi if the AAP was voted to power.

    Sisodia said good education is the right of every child in Gujarat, irrespective of whether he lives in a village, or city, or studies in a government or private school.

    Kejriwal promised free and quality healthcare to all in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

    “If voted to power, the AAP government will set up clinics like ‘mohalla’ clinics of Delhi at village and ward levels and improve the infrastructure of government hospitals to compete with private hospitals. The AAP government will also implement the Delhi scheme of free treatment for accident victims,” Kejriwal said.

    At the presser, Kejriwal introduced Sisodia as the “world’s best education minister” quoting a New York Times report.

    “We assure to provide the best education system to every child born in Gujarat as we have done in Delhi. I appeal to all to give Arvind Kejriwal a chance if you want Gujarat to progress and move forward. The Aam Aadmi Party and CM Kejriwal guarantee to provide a free and best education system in Gujarat,” Sisodia said.

    Kejriwal also addressed a townhall meeting in Himmatnagar town of Sabarkantha district, where he sought to position the contest between the BJP and the AAP in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls as a “Dharamyudh” like the Mahabharat where the ruling outfit has the “armies” of probe agencies CBI and the ED on its side, while his party has the “support of Lord Krishna”.

    ALSO READ | Delhi Excise Policy row: Mehbooba Mufti slams Congress for anti-AAP protests; Congress MP hits back

    Kejriwal compared the BJP with the Kauravas, the defeated villains of the Mahabharat, and his side as the Pandavas, the victorious heroes of the Hindu epic.

    He claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Gujarat is yearning for a change and the AAP has received immense support from people.

    This was the reason why the CBI raided the home of Sisodia in connection with the Delhi excise policy a few days ago, the AAP’s national convener said.

    Sisodia who was also present in the town hall programme.

    “This is a Dharamyudh (religious war) like the Mahabharat,” Kejriwal said, and narrated the story of how Duryodhan (from Kauravas) and Arjun (from Pandavas) approached Lord Krishna for support before the 18-day war began.

    Arjun said he wanted Lord Krishna on his side, while Duryodhan sought his army, the CM said.

    “Today, these people (a reference to BJP) have all the armies, power, the CBI, the ED (Enforcement Directorate), the Income Tax, police and a lot of money. We have Shree Krishna with us. We have God with us. And in the end truth, God will prevail. God resides in the hearts of people, they are God. They (BJP) may harass us, but people are with us,” he said at the town hall organised by the AAP as part of its election campaign.

    Kejriwal said his government in Delhi has implemented far-reaching reforms in education and healthcare which were not seen in 75 years of Independence.

    He said Gujarat wants a change after 27 years of the BJP rule.

    “So far Gujarat did not have an alternative. Now, they have got a good, honest alternative, and people want good works to be done in the state like what all are being done in Delhi and now Punjab (also ruled by AAP),” said the bureaucrat-turned-politician.

    He reiterated his party’s pre-poll promises of providing 10 lakh government jobs, paying Rs 5,000 unemployment dole and Rs 3,000 allowance to women above 18 years of age.

  • We have recording of BJP’s offer to Sisodia, will release it when time comes: AAP sources 

    Earlier, Sisodia claimed that he was “offered the CM's post” by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and closure of all cases against him if he quit the AAP and joined the saffron party.

  • liquor scam: MLC Kavitha to file a defamation suit against Delhi BJP leaders following allegations 

    By Express News Service

    Denying her role in the Delhi liquor scam, Kalvakuntla Kavitha, TRS MLC and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said here on Monday that the BJP was in power and all the investigation agencies were in their hands and they could order whatever investigation that was required.Speaking to reporters, Kavitha said that the BJP leaders were making baseless allegations against her as she was the daughter of the Chief Minister.

    It may be mentioned here that West Delhi MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, at a press conference in Delhi on Sunday, alleged that the Delhi liquor scam had links to Telangana and he suspected the role of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s family. Another BJP leader also dragged Kavitha’s name in the Delhi liquor scam.

    Responding to this, Kavitha said that the allegations made against her and TRS were completely baseless and remain as mere allegations. “They have all the agencies in their hands and they can order whatever investigation that is required. We will completely cooperate,” Kavitha said.

    She said that Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao was vocal against the Central government and criticising its policies. “I believe and the people of the Telangana will also believe that rattled by the allegations made by Chandrasekhar Rao against the Central government, the BJP is trying to malign the reputation of our (KCR’s) family”, Kavitha said.

    “We are from the family of fighters. We fought for separate Telangana. We are on the streets and always stand by the people and never go back on our fight,” Kavitha said.

    The TRS MLC alleged that the BJP government was using all the investigation agencies, media and everything to stifle the voice of the Opposition. “I am so sorry, the BJP is messing with the wrong people. We are not going to step down or go back. We are fighters,” Kavitha declared.

    She said that the Centre was playing vindictive politics, which was not good for the democracy. She said that it was not a healthy trend in politics to make baseless allegations. The efforts of the BJP leaders would remain ‘useless’, she said. She felt that the BJP leaders were making such efforts only to weaken the TRS leaders psychologically.

    She recalled that the TRS faced several allegations even during the separate Telangana movement and was never cowed down by such false allegations. “We are not scared of such baseless allegations. The Central government failed to give proper replies on the issues that were raised by TRS including Bilkis Bano rape case,” Kavitha said.

    The defamation suit will be filed against BJP MP Parvesh Varma and former MLA Manjinder Sirsa. Kavitha will also move the court seeking an injunction order against those making the allegations.

    Denying her role in the Delhi liquor scam, Kalvakuntla Kavitha, TRS MLC and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said here on Monday that the BJP was in power and all the investigation agencies were in their hands and they could order whatever investigation that was required.
    Speaking to reporters, Kavitha said that the BJP leaders were making baseless allegations against her as she was the daughter of the Chief Minister.

    It may be mentioned here that West Delhi MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, at a press conference in Delhi on Sunday, alleged that the Delhi liquor scam had links to Telangana and he suspected the role of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s family. Another BJP leader also dragged Kavitha’s name in the Delhi liquor scam.

    Responding to this, Kavitha said that the allegations made against her and TRS were completely baseless and remain as mere allegations. “They have all the agencies in their hands and they can order whatever investigation that is required. We will completely cooperate,” Kavitha said.

    She said that Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao was vocal against the Central government and criticising its policies. “I believe and the people of the Telangana will also believe that rattled by the allegations made by Chandrasekhar Rao against the Central government, the BJP is trying to malign the reputation of our (KCR’s) family”, Kavitha said.

    “We are from the family of fighters. We fought for separate Telangana. We are on the streets and always stand by the people and never go back on our fight,” Kavitha said.

    The TRS MLC alleged that the BJP government was using all the investigation agencies, media and everything to stifle the voice of the Opposition. “I am so sorry, the BJP is messing with the wrong people. We are not going to step down or go back. We are fighters,” Kavitha declared.

    She said that the Centre was playing vindictive politics, which was not good for the democracy. She said that it was not a healthy trend in politics to make baseless allegations. The efforts of the BJP leaders would remain ‘useless’, she said. She felt that the BJP leaders were making such efforts only to weaken the TRS leaders psychologically.

    She recalled that the TRS faced several allegations even during the separate Telangana movement and was never cowed down by such false allegations. “We are not scared of such baseless allegations. The Central government failed to give proper replies on the issues that were raised by TRS including Bilkis Bano rape case,” Kavitha said.

    The defamation suit will be filed against BJP MP Parvesh Varma and former MLA Manjinder Sirsa. Kavitha will also move the court seeking an injunction order against those making the allegations.

  • Sisodia claims he received message ‘join BJP, will close all cases against you’

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday claimed that he was approached by the BJP with the offer to close all cases against him if he joined their party.

    Asserting that all the allegations against him were false, Sisodia said he will never bow down before “conspirators and corrupt people”.

    Sisodia is among 15 people and entities named in an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi excise policy.

    ALSO READ | Power games: The Anatomy of a Scam

    “I have received a message from the BJP — ‘Leave AAP and join BJP. We will ensure that all cases by CBI and ED against you are shut.’ My reply to BJP — I am a descendant of Maharana Pratap and a Rajput. I am ready to get beheaded but can never bow down before conspirators and corrupt people. All the cases against me are false. Do whatever you want to do,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.

    मेरे पास भाजपा का संदेश आया है- “आप” तोड़कर भाजपा में आ जाओ, सारे CBI ED के केस बंद करवा देंगेमेरा भाजपा को जवाब- मैं महाराणा प्रताप का वंशज हूँ, राजपूत हूँ। सर कटा लूँगा लेकिन भ्रष्टाचारियो-षड्यंत्रकारियोंके सामने झुकूँगा नहीं। मेरे ख़िलाफ़ सारे केस झूठे हैं।जो करना है कर लो
    — Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) August 22, 2022
    The AAP leader’s house was raided on Friday by the CBI over alleged corruption in the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

    He has stressed that the case against him is an effort to stop the good work being done by CM Arvind Kejriwal-led dispensation and also to put obstacles in the path of the AAP chief who has emerged as an alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday claimed that he was approached by the BJP with the offer to close all cases against him if he joined their party.

    Asserting that all the allegations against him were false, Sisodia said he will never bow down before “conspirators and corrupt people”.

    Sisodia is among 15 people and entities named in an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi excise policy.

    ALSO READ | Power games: The Anatomy of a Scam

    “I have received a message from the BJP — ‘Leave AAP and join BJP. We will ensure that all cases by CBI and ED against you are shut.’ My reply to BJP — I am a descendant of Maharana Pratap and a Rajput. I am ready to get beheaded but can never bow down before conspirators and corrupt people. All the cases against me are false. Do whatever you want to do,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.

    मेरे पास भाजपा का संदेश आया है- “आप” तोड़कर भाजपा में आ जाओ, सारे CBI ED के केस बंद करवा देंगे
    मेरा भाजपा को जवाब- मैं महाराणा प्रताप का वंशज हूँ, राजपूत हूँ। सर कटा लूँगा लेकिन भ्रष्टाचारियो-षड्यंत्रकारियोंके सामने झुकूँगा नहीं। मेरे ख़िलाफ़ सारे केस झूठे हैं।जो करना है कर लो
    — Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) August 22, 2022
    The AAP leader’s house was raided on Friday by the CBI over alleged corruption in the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

    He has stressed that the case against him is an effort to stop the good work being done by CM Arvind Kejriwal-led dispensation and also to put obstacles in the path of the AAP chief who has emerged as an alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.