The office of the Lieutenant Governor has provided distinct instructions to both the Chief Secretary of Delhi and the Commissioner of Police, in response to grievances presented by Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit.
Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, VK Saxena, has initiated investigations into the allegations related to the Aam Aadmi Party’s initiatives in light of the upcoming assembly elections next year. The office of the Lieutenant Governor has issued distinct instructions to both the Delhi Chief Secretary and the Commissioner of Police, following complaints made by Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit.
In response, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal dismissed the allegations against his party as “fabricated” and questioned, “What will they investigate?”
The allegations encompass accusations of illicit collection of personal data under the pretense of AAP’s Mahila Samman Yojana, the reported presence of Punjab intelligence officers near the homes of Congress candidates, and the purported transfer of funds from Punjab to Delhi aimed at swaying the elections.
Mr. Dikshit’s complaint has raised issues regarding the Mahila Samman Yojana, an initiative by the AAP that promises eligible women a monthly payment of Rs 2,100. The Lieutenant Governor has directed the Chief Secretary to initiate an inquiry through the Divisional Commissioner concerning the alleged collection of personal data by private individuals masquerading as enrollment agents for beneficiaries. Additionally, the Delhi Police has been tasked with taking legal measures against those infringing on citizens’ privacy by organizing unauthorized registration camps.
“We consistently inquired about the BJP’s intentions regarding election participation. What is their strategy? Today, we learned that if they succeed, they will terminate the Mahila Samman Yojana, Sanjeevani Yojana, free electricity, free education, and free healthcare,” stated the former Chief Minister of Delhi.
Previously, the Women and Child Development and Health departments of the Delhi government had issued public notices indicating that both the Mahila Samman Yojana and the Sanjeevani Yojana lacked official government endorsement and were deemed “non-existent.” These notices cautioned citizens against disclosing personal information to unauthorized individuals and labeled the registrations as fraudulent.
“I had promised that upon winning the election, we would provide Rs 2,100 to women and free medical treatment for seniors over 60 years of age. These initiatives were so advantageous for the public that numerous individuals had already registered for them. This understandably unsettled the BJP; many of their leaders informed me that rather than winning, the BJP would struggle to retain their deposits in several constituencies,” remarked Mr. Kejriwal. “Initially, they dispatched their operatives, then the police, to dismantle the registration camp. Today, they have initiated a baseless investigation. What is there to investigate? We had made a clear electoral promise that, if victorious, we would implement these schemes.”
Mr. Dikshit’s complaint to the Lieutenant Governor asserted that cash was being transported from Punjab to Delhi, purportedly to finance election-related activities. In response, the Lieutenant Governor’s office has instructed the Delhi Police Commissioner to oversee the vehicles entering the city from adjacent states. Additionally, law enforcement agencies in the neighboring states of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan have been notified to thwart any potential unlawful activities.
In a further serious allegation, Mr. Dikshit asserted that intelligence officers from Punjab were positioned near the residences of Congress candidates in Delhi. The Lieutenant Governor’s office has tasked the Delhi Police Commissioner with investigating this allegation and providing a comprehensive report within three days.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has contended that these investigations are politically motivated, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of utilizing the Lieutenant Governor’s office to undermine its electoral chances.
“This directive did not originate from the Lieutenant Governor’s office but rather from Amit Shah’s office. The BJP aims to obstruct the Mahila Samman Yojana in Delhi due to their lack of respect for women. The BJP has already conceded defeat in the Delhi elections,” stated AAP.
The party further claimed that more than 2.2 million women have registered for the Mahila Samman Yojana.