The Indian Panorama

Tag: Aam Aadmi Party – AAP @AamAadmiParty

  • AAP likely to suspend Punjab convener Chhotepur over tickets for cash charge

    AAP likely to suspend Punjab convener Chhotepur over tickets for cash charge

    NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH (TIP): AThe Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is contemplating action against its Punjab unit convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur for taking a packet of cash in a reported video sting operation . Not only may he be removed from his post, but even be expelled from the party, barely six months before the assembly elections are due.

    The video was shown to AAP national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal upon his return from Himachal Pradesh, where he had gone for a Vipassana retreat from August 1 to 11, and he was “very upset”, said a Delhi-based, senior AAP leader, who briefed the media on the issue on Wednesday, on the condition of not being named.

    “That is one of the reasons why Kejriwal did not meet Chhotepur regarding any change in tickets,” said the leader, adding that Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia last week “confronted” Chhotepur with the video, for a reaction before any “appropriate action against him in the next few days”.

    Chhotepur has expressed objections over the two lists of candidates announced so far, and has been waiting for an appointment to meet Kejriwal. He was absent at both press conferences where the lists, containing 32 names so far out of 117, were revealed earlier this month.

    The video was made by an AAP supporter following verbal complaints that Chhotepur was demanding money for various purposes, the Delhi-based leader said. When asked for a copy of the video, the leader refused to part with it saying that will bring bad name to the party. “But the video is incriminating,” he said, adding that it had more content than acknowledged by Chhotepur in an interview to HT on Tuesday.

    When contacted, Chhotepur said he is not aware of the party mulling any action : “I have already said that it (sting) is a move to embarrass me. I don’t have anything more to say on the matter. I will speak up when the time is right.” He refused to comment on his meeting with Sisodia.

    ‘No tolerance’

    The Delhi-based leader, when asked if Chhotepur was being targeted for raising his voice against the party’s Delhi leadership, said rules are the same for everyone. “If a similar video of mine surfaces, I will be the first to quit politics. There is no tolerance in AAP for such things,” he said.

    When HT contacted party MP and campaign panel head Bhagwant Mann on the matter, said the party has taken the matter “very seriously”. “But I don’t know what the party’s next course of action is,” he added.

  • NO PRECONDITION FROM SIDHU, HE NEEDS TIME TO THINK: ARVIND KEJRIWAL

    NO PRECONDITION FROM SIDHU, HE NEEDS TIME TO THINK: ARVIND KEJRIWAL

    NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday sought to scotch “rumours” on Navjot Singh Sidhu’s possible induction in Aam Aadmi Party, saying the cricketer- turned-politician has not put any pre-condition and just needs “time to think”.

    Kejriwal said his respect for Sidhu, who met him last Friday at his residence, will continue irrespective of whether “he joins (AAP) or not”.

    Earlier, the AAP chief had said that talks of Sidhu becoming the party’s face in Punjab were “premature”.

    “Wud Navjot Sidhu ji join AAP- lot of rumours? Its my duty to put forward our side. We have greatest greatest regard for this ckt legend. He met me last week.

  • L-G Najeeb Jung is the boss in Delhi: High court tells Kejriwal’s AAP govt

    L-G Najeeb Jung is the boss in Delhi: High court tells Kejriwal’s AAP govt

    NEW DELHI (TIP): In a setback to the AAP government’s campaign for “full statehood” to Delhi, the Delhi High Court Thursday ruled that the Capital “continues to be a Union Territory” under the administrative control of the Lt Governor and “does not acquire the status of a State”.

    The bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath held the Arvind Kejriwal government’s decisions to probe alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) and the CNG fitness scam as “illegal” since these orders were issued “without seeking the views/concurrence” of the Lt Governor.

    Other decisions that have been set aside include appointment of nominee directors to the three power distribution companies, directions to electricity regulator DERC to pay compensation for disruption of power supply, revision of circle rates and stamp duty.

    The bench, which rejected almost all contentions of the Delhi government, however, agreed with its submission that the Lt Governor will have to act on its aid and advice in the appointment of special public prosecutors.

    In first remarks, the AAP government said it will challenge the High Court order. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said: “It is a battle between the selected and the elected… We respect the decision of the Delhi High Court and I understand that the court arrived at its decision after examining various aspects of the matter. But we disagree with the view of the court. We will be moving the Supreme Court.”

    Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, who has had a running battle with the AAP government on a range of jurisdictional issues, said: “This is nobody’s victory. Arvind Kejriwal and Najeeb Jung don’t exist. It is not that we will give sweets to each other today. These are things that the High Court had clarified today.”

    In its 194-page order, the bench said it was of “the considered view that it is mandatory under the Constitutional scheme to communicate the decision of the Council of Ministers to the Lt Governor even in relation to the matters in respect of which power to make laws has been conferred on the Legislative Assembly of NCTD and an order thereon can be issued only where the Lt Governor does not take a different view”.

    The High Court set aside objections raised by the AAP government over the appointment and transfer of senior officials, which had been a flashpoint between Kejriwal and Jung.

    “Though a specific constitutional provision has been inserted by the Constitution (69th Amendment) Act, 1991 to deal with the administration of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, it continues to be a Union Territory and does not acquire the status of a State,” the bench said.

    The Delhi government had challenged the notification issued by the Union Home Ministry on May 21, 2015, which said that the Lt Governor could take all decisions with regard to ‘Services’ in Delhi. The notification had also directed that the Anti-Corruption Branch could not take up investigation of cases against employees of Central government services.

    The Delhi government, through senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, had argued that Article 239AA of the Constitution had not excluded ‘Services’ from the list of subjects under the authority of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, and that the Central government could not modify the powers of the Assembly through a notification.

    The High Court, however, accepted arguments by Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain who said that the Constitution provided “only for two types of services” — Central services and State services.

    “All services under NCT of Delhi which is a Union Territory are governed by Entry 70 of List I alone and thus fall beyond the legislative competence of the Legislative Assembly of NCT of Delhi.

    The executive power being co-extensive with the legislative power, it goes without saying that the Government of NCT of Delhi cannot claim any executive power in relation to matters with respect to ‘services’,” the bench said.

    The High Court accepted the view of the Central government that the ACB did not have the jurisdiction to take up cases against Central government officials. Jurisdiction of the ACB, it said, was “limited to curbing corruption in various departments of the Delhi administration as well as other statutory bodies over which the Lt Governor exercises control. In other words, the officers and employees of the Central government have not been brought within the purview of ACB, GNCTD”.

    This decision comes in the light of FIRs initiated by the Delhi government for investigation into an alleged gas pricing scam involving senior Central government officials, ministers and Reliance India Ltd. While the court has not gone into other legal issues raised by the ACB FIR, the decision means that the ACB cannot probe allegations against the Petroleum Ministry officials and two former ministers.

    In the judgment, covering seven issues raised in nine different writ petitions, the High Court said “the contention on behalf of the Government of NCT of Delhi that the Lt Governor is bound to act only on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers is untenable and cannot be accepted”.

    It is the elected government of Delhi, the bench said, which is required to “communicate its decisions” to the Lt Governor and issue orders only after the latter’s approval.

    Setting aside the AAP government’s decisions to appoint commissions of inquiry into allegations against the DDCA and the CNG fitness case, the bench held that the “appropriate government” under the Commissions of Inquiry Act was the Central government with respect to Union Territories.

    Welcoming the verdict, ASG Sanjay Jain, who represented the Central government, said the judgment was “in line with constitutional provisions as the Lt Governor is the Chief Executive Officer of Delhi”.

  • Phoolka, 18 others on AAP’s first poll list in Punjab

    Phoolka, 18 others on AAP’s first poll list in Punjab

    CHANDIGARH (TIP): The Aam Aadmi Party on August 4 released its first list of candidates for 19 constituencies for Punjab Assembly elections scheduled early next year, nominating senior lawyers H S Phoolka and Himmat Singh Shergill, stealing a march over its rivals Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress.

    Besides Phoolka and Shergill, who will contest the polls from Dakha and Mohali respectively, the list includes several office-bearers of the party’s youth wing, including Harjot Singh Bains, one of the founder members of the party in Punjab.

    Bains, who heads the youth wing, will conest from Sahnewal. Two former basketball players, Arjuna awardee Sajjan Singh Cheema and Gurdit Singh Sekhon, who also figure in the list, will contest from Sultanpur Lodhi and Faridkot respectively.

    The party has given tickets to two former members of Bahujan Samaj Party–Mohan Singh Phalianwala and Santokh Singh Salana. Phalianwala will contest from Ferozepur (Rural) and Salana from Bassi Pathana.

    Kultar Singh Sandhwa, a member of the extended family of former President Giani Zail Singh, will contest from Kotkapura.

    The first list was announced here by AAP MP Bhagwant Mann who was accompanied by party’s Punjab affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh and women’s wing in-charge Baljinder Kaur.

    “The party has allotted tickets to its committed workers and youth, who all have a clean image. We will soon release the next list,” Mann said.

  • PM Modi may get me killed: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

    PM Modi may get me killed: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi may “get me killed”, Arvind Kejriwal said on July 27, unleashing one of the most severe attacks on him as the Delhi Chief Minister wondered if the country was in “safe hands”.

    Referring to series of arrests of AAP MLAs and workers in the last one-and-a-half years, Kejriwal dubbed Modi to be the “mastermind” behind the “cycle of oppression” against them and that he was hell bent on “vanquishing” the party.

    Calling the current period to be “very critical”, Kejriwal sought to remind AAP volunteers, MLAs and Delhi Government Ministers that things will get worse in the coming days and exhorted them to “leave” if they are not strong enough.

    “I want to tell all the volunteers, MLAs and Ministers that this is a very critical period. You think over it, talk to your families. This is going to get worse in the coming days.

    “He (Modi) can go to any extent and may get us killed. He may get me killed as well. Talk to your families and see if you are ready for the ultimate sacrifice. All the MLAs will anyway have to go to jail. If you are ready, then stay with us or if you have weaknesses, then leave,” he said.

    “Modi has lost all sense of proportion and is hell bent on vanquishing the AAP,” Kejriwal said in a nearly 10-minute-long video message posted online.

    Kejriwal, who has called Modi a psychopath and coward in the past, said the country would be in danger if the Prime Minister starts taking decisions guided by “no rhyme or reason but anger”.

    “For me, the biggest reason to worry is the fact that if a country’s PM starts taking decisions in anger then the country will be in danger. Who knows he might be doing the same when it comes to many such decisions.

    “The important question is whether the country is in safe hands or not? Important thing is not the arrests of our MLAs. Is the country in safe hands ?” he asked.

    The Delhi Chief Minister referred to arrests of 10 MLAs, income tax raids on one legislator and attempts to disqualify 21 MLAs through “false allegations”.

    “You must have seen the attempts to crush the AAP. 10 MLAs have been arrested, IT raid has been conducted on one, and attempts are being made to disqualify 21 MLAs through false allegations of office-of-profit.

    “This is like a cycle of oppression. I was wondering why is this happening. People question as to why I blame Modiji. I want to know who is the mastermind behind the raids by CBI, IT etc. Someone has to be the mastermind behind them. Who is the mastermind?

    “Amit Shah, Modiji, PMO. All of them are together. Shah is doing it on Modiji’s prodding but it is happening from one source.

    “Insiders say that Modiji is extremely angry with us and he is not thinking logically about it. Because daily arrests make no logic. Especially when all of them get bail within days and they could not prove a thing.

    “He is not using his brain while dealing with us. Few people say he has been unable to digest the good work in Delhi, others say the defeat in Delhi, while the rest say it is due to the support we are getting in Punjab, Goa and Gujarat,” the Delhi CM said.

    Kejriwal said Modi, in his “relentless pursuit” for power, had taken the route of “crushing” his opponents as he and the BJP have “failed” to fulfill a single poll promise, thus angering various sections of the society.

    The AAP chief claimed that Modi was “frustrated” as he has failed to crush the courage of AAP despite putting the entire government machinery after it.

    “He unleashed the ACB, police, CBI, IT after AAP. But he could not crush our courage. We have refused to bend. So he is frustrated and does not know what to do next.

    “There are two ways to capture power. One is to do good work like us. But BJP and Modiji have failed in all the fronts. All sections of the society are angry including the dalits, minorities, farmers, jewellers and the youth,” he said.

    Kejriwal said Congress’ “silence” had also got to do with Modi’s attempts to muzzle voice of the Opposition.

    “The second way is to crush your opponents. And he is doing it now. He has crushed all the parties. Do you ever see the Congress raising its voice? Or any other party? Dalits have been crushed. Rohith Vemula was crushed. Youth was crushed,” he said.

    Kejriwal said India’s “souring” relations with its neighbours such as Nepal and Pakistan was also due to Modi’s inconsistency.

    “The more I think about this, the less I am being able to sleep. Is it the reason India’s age-old relations with Nepal has soured, or with Pakistan?

    “You went to say happy birthday (to Nawaz Sharif), then called ISI, then you blame them (Pakistan). So many flipflops. We can see many such decisions being taken based solely on anger which is dangerous for the country,” he said.

  • AAP MP’S RESPONSE STUMPS HOUSE PANEL

    AAP MP’S RESPONSE STUMPS HOUSE PANEL

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Controversial Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lawmaker Bhagwant Mann on July 28 (Thursday) questioned the rationale of constituting a Parliamentary committee to probe his act of filming his way into Parliament.

    Mann appeared before the nine-member committee Bhagwant Mann constituted by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Thursday and submitted a five-page letter in which he apologised for his actions. But Mann reiterated his demand for expanding the ambit of the committee to summon Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and at the same time asserted that the probe should be wound up.

    “We have given him two more days to clear his confusion or contradiction and correct his written response to the committee,” said Kirit Somaiya, chairman of the probe committee.

    In his deposition before the committee, Mann sought to raise the issue of the prime minister “compromising” on national security by allowing a Pakistani investigation team to visit Pathankot airbase, which came under terror attack in January. “You stick to your statement. Your action has made Parliament security vulnerable,” a committee member told Mann. The committee also strongly disapproved of Mann treating the incident “casually”. The AAP member has been asked to appear before the committee on Monday at 3 pm when he may be subjected to cross-questioning by the members.

    Earlier in the day, Mann had sought permission of the committee to bring along a lawyer to argue on his behalf. The plea was rejected by the committee after due consultation with the Speaker.

  • NAVJOT SIDHU LIKELY TO JOIN AAP ON I-DAY EVE, CAMPAIGN FOR PUNJAB POLL

    NAVJOT SIDHU LIKELY TO JOIN AAP ON I-DAY EVE, CAMPAIGN FOR PUNJAB POLL

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Former Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker Navjot Singh Sidhu is likely to join the Aam Aadmi Party on August 14 and plunge into the campaign for the Punjab assembly elections from the next day, party sources said on July 28 (Thursday).

    The cricketer-turned-politician, who stunned his Navjot Singh Sidhu party on July 19 by suddenly resigning from Rajya Sabha to which he had been nominated just two months ago, will be one of the AAP’s chief campaigners in Punjab. However, he will not be named its chief ministerial candidate, a member of the party’s top body, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), told HT.

    Sidhu, who is in Mumbai, was not available for comment.

    The move is seen as a symbiotic boost for the AAP, and the three-time Amritsar MP and his legislator wife, who will follow suit.

    For days after he quit Rajya Sabha, Sidhu remained incommunicado. On the day of his resignation, his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu – who is a BJP MLA in Punjab and chief parliamentary secretary – said it implied he had quit the party. When Sidhu finally surfaced and made a brief statement to the media on July 25, neither did he say he quit the BJP nor clarify on where he was headed.

    Instead, he used the opportunity to say that he quit because he was asked to stay away from Punjab.

    “Rashtra dharma (duty towards the nation) is the most superior. How can Navjot Singh Sidhu stay away from his motherland,” Sidhu said in his brief appearance before the media in New Delhi, where he did not field questions. “No party in this world is above or greater than Punjab … If it comes to choosing between my family, my party and Punjab, I will choose Punjab a hundred times.” Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal tweeted after Sidhu’s July 24 press conference: “Sidhu wud hv spoken against drugs, if he went to Punjab. BJP prevented him. Who was BJP trying to protect? Shocking (sic).” Source: HT

  • HC Judge Asks Kejriwal To Explain The Meaning Of Word ‘Thulla’

    HC Judge Asks Kejriwal To Explain The Meaning Of Word ‘Thulla’

    New Delhi (TIP): Delhi High Court on Wednesday, July 13, asked Arvind Kejriwal to explain the meaning of the word ‘thulla’ he allegedly used against policemen, as it stayed a trial court order summoning the Delhi Chief Minister in a criminal defamation complaint filed against him by a constable.

    Justice Mukta Gupta granted the relief to Kejriwal till August 21 on his plea seeking stay on the summon issued to him by a trial court for his appearance on July 14, which prima facie found that he had committed the offence.

    “Till the next date (August 21) the petitioner (Kejriwal) is exempted from personal appearance before the trial court,” the court said.

    However, “you (Kejriwal) will have to satisfy this court what is the meaning of the word that was allegedly used by you. So be ready,” the court said.

    The word used by Kejriwal was a Hindi word and the court wanted to know its meaning as it does not exist in the dictionary. “If you have used this word, you must be knowing the meaning. I have not seen this word at all,” the judge orally observed.

    The court also issued notice to the complainant, Constable Ajay Kumar Taneja, and sought his response on the Delhi Chief Minister’s plea.

    The court’s order and oral observation came during the hearing of the plea by Kejriwal who sought stay and setting aside of the trial court’s order summoning him as an accused in the case.

    Senior advocate N Hariharan, appearing for the Chief Minister, submitted that the word ‘thulla’ was not used against all policemen but against those indulging in wrong practices.

    Constable Taneja, posted at Lajpat Nagar police station here, had claimed that being a member of Delhi Police he was defamed by the word used by Kejriwal.

    In the complaint, filed on July 23, 2015, Taneja had claimed that Kejriwal had used the “derogatory” term for policemen on a news channel while talking about AAP government’s “constraints” in ensuring effective functioning of the Anti-Corruption Branch.

  • Disqualify 24 Punjab MLAs for being parliamentary secretaries: AAP to EC

    Disqualify 24 Punjab MLAs for being parliamentary secretaries: AAP to EC

    New Delhi (TIP): With the sword of disqualification hanging over its 21 Delhi legislators over the issue of office of profit, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has approached the Election Commission, seeking similar action against nearly 45 legislators of the BJP, Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal, holding similar posts in other states.

    In Punjab, the AAP has sought disqualification of 24 legislators for holding posts of parliamentary secretary (called ‘chief parliamentary secretary’ in the Punjab), of which five are of the BJP and the remaining 19 belong to the SAD. Its complaint said the total number of parliamentary secretaries in the state had gone up to 24 “in violation of Article 191 of the Constitution”.

  • AAM AADMI PARTY SUSPENDS ALKA LAMBA AS PARTY SPOKESPERSON

    AAM AADMI PARTY SUSPENDS ALKA LAMBA AS PARTY SPOKESPERSON

    NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday suspended MLA Alka Lamba @LambaAlka from the post of party spokesperson, for two months.

    Lamba was reportedly removed as AAP spokesperson over her statement that Gopal Rai was “relieved” of the transport portfolio on Tuesday because of the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB)’s investigation into corruption charges related to favouring an app-based premium bus service.

    Reacting to her suspension, Lamba said that she is a disciplined worker and will abide by the party’s decision. “If I have made a mistake unknowingly, I am ready to repent,” Lamba tweeted on Thursday.

    On June 14, Gopal Rai had quit as transport minister citing his health, even as the opposition BJP and Congress termed it a fallout of the ACB’s investigation.

    Rai refuted the allegations levelled by the opposition parties saying that he quit solely on health grounds.

    “Some people are spreading rumour that I have resigned due to Premium Bus Scheme. There has been no corruption in this scheme and my resignation has no connection with it,” the former transport minister tweeted.

    The portfolio of the transport department has now been given to his cabinet colleague Satyendar Jain, who already holds key portfolios of PWD, health, power and home.

  • POSTER SHOWING BHINDRANWALE WITH KEJRIWAL SPARKS ROW

    POSTER SHOWING BHINDRANWALE WITH KEJRIWAL SPARKS ROW

    CHANDIGARH (TIP): A poster carrying pictures of slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale with Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal and other senior party leaders has caused a flutter in the political circles.

    The poster shows the AAP leaders urging people to celebrate the birth anniversary of Bhindranwale on February 12.

    Targeting the AAP over the issue, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh said, “On the one hand, they (AAP) are invoking people for ‘revolution’, and on the other, they are asking people to celebrate Bhindranwale’s birth anniversary. There is a clear link between the two,” Amarinder said, adding that such tactics were a threat to the country’s sovereignty and especially “dangerous for Punjab”.

    “The AAP seems to be going a step ahead of even Simranjit Singh Mann’s Khalistan agenda,” he added.

    Meanwhile, AAP has distanced itself from the controversy calling it a “cheap politics being played by the opposition”.

    Meanwhile, Punjab BJP chief Kamal Sharma has sought a clarification from Kejriwal on the
    “Bhindranwale ideology” issue.

    In a press release, Kamal Sharma said AAP was pursuing a “fanatic agenda” and urging the people to celebrate the birth anniversary of Bhindranwale tantamount to anti-national activity. He said the poster was attempt destablise Punjab.

    He urged Kejriwal to categorically make it clear before the people of Punjab whether it supported “Bhindranwale ideology” or not.

    Source: HT

  • Kejriwal inked during Odd-Even success rally

    Kejriwal inked during Odd-Even success rally

    In an unexpected drama at Delhi’s celebratory rally for the Odd-Even plan, a woman threw ink at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today, as he took the stage to address a gathering at Chhatrasal Stadium in the national capital.
    Delhi Police later identified the woman as a member of a group called Aam Aadmi Sena. 
    The chief minister was also heckled by the woman, who was apparently a part of the crowd at the event, and is reportedly a relative of an auto-rickshaw driver. Sources said that she held grievances regarding the CNG scam and the Auto-Permit scam. 
    However, Kejriwal, remained unperturbed about the whole incident and continued with his speech during the rally which was organized to celebrate the successful implementation of the Odd-Even scheme. He also asked the volunteers to not manhandle her and said that her complaint would be heard by the government. 
    Interestingly, AAP leader Kapil Mishra directly blamed the BJP for this attack and tweeted, “Dear BJP last time when u did it, people of Delhi have replied u back in style. U attack on AK, people will punish u.”  

  • Kejriwal vs Modi: Vendetta, Politics & Overreaction

    Kejriwal vs Modi: Vendetta, Politics & Overreaction

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The war which began after Arvind Kejriwal had tweeted that the CBI is raiding his office, quickly spilled over to name calling & #politicaljihad.

    Kejriwal continued with the tweets and then a press conference accusing the Centre of foul play. It was met with an equally aggressive response from the BJP.

    Arvind Kejriwal blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the “raid”, calling him a “coward and a psychopath”.

    “When Modi couldn’t handle me politically, he resorts to this cowardice,” he added.

    By calling the prime minister of the country a “coward” and a “psychopath” for a CBI raid on his bureaucrat and labeling the finance minister a “liar”, politics in India has touched spectacularly new lows that may yet set a dubious “benchmark” for adversarial politics.

    Officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have denied the allegations.

    “It is not a raid on Arvind Kejriwal’s office, it was a raid on Rajender Kumar, principal secretary to the CM,” CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh told BBC.

    However, Mr. Kejriwal has accused the CBI of “lying”.

    Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation clarified that it has not raided the office of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Raids were carried out in the office of CM’s Principal Secretary Rajender Kumar, top CBI sources told media.

    After preliminary investigation, CBI found prima facie evidence against Kumar. After which CBI conducted several raid at 14 other locations in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh related to Rajender Kumar. Papers of three immovable properties along with cash Rs 2.4 lakh have been recovered in raid conducted at his house. Another Rs 10.5 lakh was recovered from Rajendra’s close aide and co-accused in the case, GK Nanda, GM Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL).

    The reported raid came days after a top bureaucrat working for the Delhi government was arrested red-handed for taking bribe.

    AAP Counter Claim

    Kejriwal claimed that CBI came for DDCA files and was working on behest of Arun Jaitley, who was the chairman of DDCA at the time of corruption scandal.

    Referring to the October 9 sacking of Food Minister Asim Ahmed Khan, he said: “I am the only CM who dismissed, on my own, a minister and a senior officer on charges of corruption and handed their cases to the CBI”.

    “If they were looking for proof of corruption, they should be looking for the concerned files in those departments,” added Kejriwal while coming in support of his principal secretary Rajender Kumar.

    A government-appointed panel had recently recommended that the BCCI suspend DDCA over financial irregularities and corruption.

    Aftermath of the raid: The biggest war of words takes off

    The big guns from the AAP and BJP continue to trade fire amid a raging war of words between the two parties over alleged corruption in Delhi’s cricket association which, the city’s ruling party claims, deepened under finance minister Arun Jaitley’s watch.

    The Delhi unit BJP on Tuesday, December 15, came down heavily on chief minister Arvind Kejriwal over his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and threatened to launch a “pol khol” campaign to expose “corruption” of the AAP government.

    “The BJP workers will no longer tolerate the language used by Mr Kejriwal against the PM Narendra Modi. We will launch a pol khol (expose) campaign to show to the people how his party is involved in corruption and that Secretariat has become a den of corruption,” Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay said.

    Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta accused Mr Kejriwal of “defending” a “corrupt” officer.

    “The CBI often register cases and conducts raids against corrupt in the country, but it is first time that a chief minister has come forward to save a corrupt officer.”

    Referring to rule of law, he alleged that some people were trying to be above the law while people of Delhi were feeling “betrayed” in this “queer situation”.

    The war of words over accusation against Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of his involvement in “glaring irregularities” in Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) intensified on Thursday, December 17, with the BJP coming all out in his defence, describing him as a man of “impeccable” political record.

    The party described the accusations by Delhi’s AAP government as “blasphemous and preposterous campaign bordering on political hysteria”.

    “The BJP resolutely stands behind Arun Jaitley and publicly condemns the malicious intent of the AAP to deflect public attention from a corrupt officer working with (Delhi Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal,” Union Minister for Human Resource Development Smriti Irani told reporters at a press conference.

    She also made a comparison between Jaitley and Kejriwal in terms of their contributions so far, saying the Finance Minister had written his name in “golden letters in history” with his “dedication and work”.

    She said a “blasphemous and preposterous” campaign bordering on political hysteria was being created by the AAP to divert the public attention from a “corrupt officer”. Kejriwal is failing the anti-corruption movement from which he had shot to limelight by making efforts to protect a “corrupt officer”, she added.

    Smriti Irani pointed out that the 2013 SFIO probe found no evidence against Jaitley while looking into alleged irregularities in Delhi’s cricket body that he headed for over a decade.

    In a Facebook post, the finance minister struck back at AAP leaders for making allegations of corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association following a CBI raid at the office of chief minister Kejriwal’s principal secretary, saying “does free speech include the right to speak only falsehood.”

    Jaitley also attacked the Delhi chief minister, saying it was a propaganda technique of Kejriwal to deflect attention when he himself was in the “dock”, as both the AAP and Congress intensified their demand for his resignation from the Union cabinet.

    “Delhi CM Kejriwal seems to believe in untruth and defamation, delivered in language that borders on hysteria. No personal allegation was ever made against me nor did I ever feel the need of contradicting it,” he wrote. “Finding himself acting as a shield to cover an officer under investigation, the Delhi Chief Minister has attempted to focus attention on me.”

    DDCA Responds
    Former cricketer Chetan Chauhan, who now heads the cricket body, rejected the AAP’s charges and issued a point-by-point rebuttal, saying they had nothing to hide.

    “We want complete transparency. All allegations are baseless. We have spent money like misers,” Chauhan told reporters. “No embezzlement took place during Jaitley’s tenure. You can check SFIO report. There were only procedural lapses and we have compounded (paid fine) for those lapses.”

    Congress & its allies join the Fun
    The political feuding over the CBI raid, became fiercer on Wednesday, December 16, with Congress leaping into the fray and demanding the resignation of finance minister Arun Jaitley for alleged irregularities at the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA).

    Congress demanded a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to probe the matter and Jaitley’s resignation, the principal opposition party did not raise the issue inside or outside Parliament.

    The party mounted a renewed attack on Jaitley in a series of tweets, echoing the AAP allegations that corporate boxes at Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla cricket ground were given out on lease to companies without following rules.

    Trinamool Congress, too, joined, saying it was the first to ask for a JPC on DDCA. “Now, media says that Congress and AAP have demanded the same. We welcome that,” the party said.

  • DELHI MLAS GIFT THEMSELVES 400% SALARY HIKE

    DELHI MLAS GIFT THEMSELVES 400% SALARY HIKE

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Delhi MLAs on December 3 approved a 400% increase in their salary, accepting in totality the recommendations made by an independent committee that proposed a monthly payout of Rs 2.35 lakh to each MLA against the existing Rs 88,000.

    The bill was introduced – and passed – on Thursday in face of opposition from the BJP MLAs who said that this was probably not the right time for MLAs to take an increment. “We will abstain from voting for this bill because we do not think this is the right time for it. Even if you have to introduce it, the increment needs to lowered,” said leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta.

    The recommendations were proposed by an expert committee, headed by former secretary general of Lok Sabha, PDT Achari, which was constituted on August 21 after several MLAs of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party complained that they were unable to make ends meet with the existing pay package. The party came in for further criticism in light of its statement that the government is running extremely low on funds and despite its ‘aam aadmi’ credentials, sought to first ensure its own bank balance.

    The chief whip, speaker and deputy speaker will be entitled to the salary, allowances and entitlements of a minister of Delhi government.

    While a monthly allowance of Rs 4,000 for water and electricity has been removed from the salary, several other perks have been added, which include Rs 70,000 as allowance for constituency, a one-time payment of Rs 1 lakh to furnish office, Rs 60,000 to make the office functional and Rs 1 lakh for purchase of computers.

    A massive Rs 3 lakh has been included as annual payout for travel, including foreign trips, for the member and dependents. An annual increment of Rs 5,000 in basic salary has also been included.

    Several MLAs justified the rise, saying they had emerged from the anti-corruption movement and had no additional income with which to support their families or perform the duties expected of a legislative member. “Our salaries finish in the first 10 days of the month. We have now added responsibilities of running a constituency office, paying staff and meeting social obligations. I have to maintain a vehicle for official work and the salary we are getting at present is just about sufficient to meet the expenses,” said MAL Sanjeev Jha.

    Amid concerns that the implementation of these amendments would make Delhi MLAs the highest-paid in the country, sources said a large chunk of the emoluments was meant for official expenses.

    “Since 2014, the basic salary of MLAs in Assam is Rs 60,000 per month. With these amendments, Delhi MLAs will get only Rs 50,000 per month. The constituency allowance being paid to MLAs in Goa at present is Rs 90,000, despite the fact that it is an assembly smaller in terms of membership as well as population represented per MLA than Delhi,” said a source.

  • Somnath Bharti Denied Bail & surrenders

    Somnath Bharti Denied Bail & surrenders

    New Delhi, Sept 28 (TIP): AAP Leader & Former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti turned himself in at the Dwarka North police station here tonight, hours after the Supreme Court rejected his plea for anticipatory bail in the Domestic Violence & Attempt to murder case alleged by his wife.

    Bharti remained elusive and was untraceable since September 22 when the high court refused anticipatory bail in a case of attempted murder, assault, intimidation and attempted forced miscarriage filed by his estranged wife Lipika Mitra.

    “I have come to surrender as per the court’s command. I was only exercising all my legal options and was waiting for the Supreme Court’s verdict,” said the AAP Leader to the media at the Dwarka Police station while flashing a copy of the Constitution. “Is it written anywhere in this book that says what I have done is wrong?” he added.

    Denying the plea for anticipatory bail, Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu and Justice Amitava Roy had ordered him to “surrender before appropriate jurisdiction of the police by this evening”.

    Bharti’s father Sitaram, who belonged to Bihar’s Hisua, left the family when the AAP leader was very young. He and his two siblings were brought up by their mother Manorama. Bharti’s father is reportedly an ascetic.

    After the Supreme Court hearing this morning, several Aam Aadmi Party leaders publicly chided Bharti for avoiding arrest. “After SC order Somnath should immediately surrender/cooperate in investigation. Party had requested him earlier and requesting him again,” party spokesman Ashutosh tweeted.

    Delhi Commission of Women chairperson Swati Maliwal joined in: “Welcome move by SC. Somnath Bharti denied bail, reprimanded and told to surrender by evening. This bound to end his hide and seek with law.”

    Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had tweeted last week: “Somnath shud surrender. Why is he running away? Why is he so scared of gng to jail? Now he is becoming embarrassment for party n his family” (sic).

    Troubles continue for Aam Aadmi Party : Bharti is the fourth party MLA to be arrested. Former law minister Jitender Tomar and MLAs Manoj Kumar and Surinder Singh are out on bail in forgery, land grab and assault cases respectively.

     

  • From Nitish turf, Kejriwal targets PM Modi

    In the run-up to the Bihar Assembly polls, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal travelled to Patna on Thursday and threw his weight behind Chief Minister Nitish Kumar by calling him a sushashak (good administrator) during a state government function.

    Kejriwal also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent “DNA test” jibe and accused him of trying to “buy out” the people of Bihar with his special package. “It is wrong to challenge Bihar’s DNA. This state has given so many important people to the country. They (BJP) also targeted me before the Delhi elections and said that I came from an upadravi gotra (anarchist community). It backfired. Janta to bata deti hai (people give a befitting answer),” Kejriwal said. Speaking at a Bihar government function to celebrate the implementation of the Right to Public Services (RTPS) Act, the Delhi CM said his government planned to emulate Bihar’s successful RTPS model that had benefitted about 11 crore people.

    Calling the Central government “confrontationist”, he accused it of deliberately giving a thumbs down to Delhi government’s every move. The Delhi CM also claimed that AAP won Delhi after BJP’s resounding Lok Sabha win and at a time when it was winning almost every state election. Kejriwal, who was shown black flags by protesters outside the Patna airport, mocked the BJP for seeking votes with a promise to bring back black money and then focusing on yoga. “Yoga is a good thing but let there be clarity among people if you are seeking votes in name of black money or yoga,” he said. Kejriwal also accused the Centre of violating the spirit of cooperative federalism. As Kejriwal wrapped up his attack on AAP’s and JD(U)’s common political enemy, the Bihar CM thanked him for coming to the state and even reiterated his support for Kejriwal’s demand for full statehood for Delhi.

  • Punjab AAP leader Dr Daljit Singh expelled

    Punjab AAP leader Dr Daljit Singh expelled

    Chandigarh (TIP) July 16: In an attempt to quell rebellion in the Punjab unit of the Aam Aadmi Party, took a swift decision on Thursday to expel its Punjab disciplinary committee chairman and state executive member Dr Daljit Singh.

    Dr Daljit Singh had made a statement last week that party spokesman and Punjab affairs in charge Sanjay Singh and the state convenient Sucha Singh Chottepur were out to destroy the AAP in the state.

    Dr Daljit Singh, a prominent eye surgeon of Amritsar, had unsuccessfully contested the Lol Sabha elections from Amritsar against Capt Amarinder Singh of the Congress and Arun Jaitley of the BJP.

    He was issued a show cause notice on Sunday and he had sent his reply the next day denying the charges.

    He had made the statement after at least two of the four MPs had raised their voice against Sanjay Singh who had later asked them to submit their report card as MPs

  • DISSIDENCE ROCKS AAM AADMI PARTY

    DISSIDENCE ROCKS AAM AADMI PARTY

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had received huge support from the NRI community, appears to be in the doldrums in Punjab which had elected all its four MPs in the Lok Sabha elections. The growing resentment among the party MPs against the party leadership has now plunged the party in a serious crisis.

    The latest in the series of differences in the party pertaining to its MPs was an outburst by two of them describing the party leadership as immature which was trying to arm twist them for questioning the reorganization of the state unit of the party. While two MPs, Dr Dharamvira Gandhi and Harinder Singh Khalsa, have come on record, they claim that they are in touch with another MP Sadhu Singh who endorses their stand. The fourth MP, Bhagwant Mann, is abroad and could not be contacted by them.

    Their angry outburst was caused by the decision of the party high command to restructure the state unit of the party without consulting the party MPs. The party’s political affairs in charge for Punjab Sanjay Singh had reorganized the party unit without consulting the MPs.

    What has further infuriated the MPs is the `armed twisting tactics’ of the party supreme Arvind Kejriwal. Shortly after two MPs voiced their protest against the restructuring of the state unit of the party, all the four MPs received a text message on their mobiles seeking a report card on their performance.

    The text message, sent by the Sanjay Singh late on Thursday, asked the MPs to list within five days their achievements as MPs. The message said that the party president had sought a report from each of the MPs on following three points : 1. How many questions of public interest have you raised in parliament. 2. How have you contributed to the party’s growth in your constituency and 3. What work have you done in your constituency.

    The text message led to an angry response by at two MPs, Dharamvira Gandhi and Harinder Singh Khalsa, who also claimed to have spoken and received endorsement from Sadhu Singh. Gandhi said that party’s central leaders were ‘dictatorial’. He said that the order given a day after their meeting resenting the restructure of the party was malafide. Khalsa said he can only “scoff and laugh” at the party’s decision to seek their report card. He said it was like “Gestapo act” to terrorize the MPs. He said the immature act of the party leadership was a childish reaction to their criticism of the reorganization of the party in the state.

    While Gandhi had been critical of Kejriwal when the two senior leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, were expelled from the party, the other three had preferred silence.

    The expelled leader Yogendra Yadav has reacted to the developments in Punjab as a natural outcome of the `durbar culture” being practiced by Kejriwal and his supporters.

    The rebellion in the party may lead to a serious crisis within the party which was wanting to make a strong bid for the February 2017 assembly elections. The four MPs together represent 36 assembly segments out of a total of 117 and its party candidates had finished second in 25 others assembly segments.

    The internal strife within the AAP would be welcomed by the Punjab Congress leaders as well as the SAD-BJP combine who had been expecting a serious contest from the AAP in the 2017 assembly elections. It is high time the AAP leaders pull their act together to present a viable alternative on Punjab. They still retain a lot of goodwill and people are fed up of the ruling coalition on Punjab as well as a divided Congress. AAP has the capability to fill the vacuum but only of stops blundering along.

  • AAP MAY EXPEL EX-MINISTER TOMAR ARRESTED FOR FORGING DEGREES

    AAP MAY EXPEL EX-MINISTER TOMAR ARRESTED FOR FORGING DEGREES

    NEW DELHI (TIP): An extremely upset Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and several other senior Aam Aadmi Party leaders favour expelling Jitender Singh Tomar, the former Delhi law minister who was arrested this week for allegedly forging his degrees, sources have said.

    Top leaders of the party met late in the night on June 12 to discuss Tomar, who had resigned as minister on Tuesday after his arrest and is in police custody. A decision on action against him is likely to be taken in the next two days and will serve as a warning to others in the party, AAP leaders said.

    At least two other AAP legislators – Surender Singh who represents Delhi Cantt and Vishesh Ravi from Karol Bagh – have been accused of faking degrees. Singh has been taken to court by the BJP man he defeated in the Delhi elections.

    Sources said Kejriwal is very angry that Tomar had convinced him that he was innocent by allegedly showing him a doctored Right to Information or RTI reply from a college in Uttar Pradesh where he claimed to have graduated from.

    The Faizabad college in UP has denied that Tomar was a student there. After his arrest, the Delhi Police took Tomar to Faizabad as part of its investigation and will also take him today to Bihar, from where he claims to have got his law degree.

    The police have filed a case of cheating and forgery against Mr Tomar and allege that a month-long investigation found he had not only submitted fake graduation and law degrees to register with the Bar Council of Delhi, but forged a migration certificate too.

    In Faizabad, Tomar was taken to the college and university he claims to have got his Bachelor of Science degree from and was made to meet teachers and officials at the institutions.

    Police said he failed to locate the classroom for that course, the physics laboratory and the washroom. They alleged that the investigation at Faizabad “more or less” corroborated their earlier findings that his degrees were fabricated.

    Tomar, 49, is the AAP legislator from Delhi’s Trinagar constituency. He was sworn in as a minister for the first time in February this year. He was earlier in the Congress.

  • Kejriwal Vs Jung – top 10 developments

    Kejriwal Vs Jung – top 10 developments

    [quote_box_center]

    Here are the top 10 developments:

    [/quote_box_center]

    1 Amid his ongoing standoff with the AAP government, Delhi Lt. Governor on Thursday met Union Home Secretary L.C. Goyal and had a talk over phone with Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
    2 Sources said they discussed about the resolution passed by the Delhi Assembly on Wednesday and the government’s stand in the apex court with regard to the Special Leave Petition.
    3 The meeting and the telephone call came a day after the Delhi Assembly passed a resolution rejecting the Home Ministry notification giving absolute powers to the Lt. Governor in several matters, including transfer and postings of senior bureaucrats.
    4 The Home Ministry on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court ruling that the May 21 notification was “suspect” and noted that the mandate of the people “must be respected by LG“.
    5 Mr. Kejriwal on Wednesday lambasted the Lt. Governor saying he was “dancing to the tune” of the Centre and “deliberately” trying to create obstacles for the AAP government.
    6 Mr. Kejriwal on Tuesday met the Lt. Governor and discussed functioning of the ACB, a day after Delhi High Court ruled that it has authority to probe central government officials, including Delhi Police personnel.
    7 Sources said Mr. Kejriwal briefed the Lt. Governor about the agenda of the two-day Assembly session and expressed his readiness to work with Mr. Jung to ensure effective governance.
    8 After the notification was issued, Mr. Kejriwal had launched a frontal attack on the Centre, accusing it of “back-stabbing” the people of the city by “siding” with the Lt. Governor to run Delhi through “backdoor” and protect the corrupt.
    9 The appointment of senior bureaucrat Shakuntala Gamlin as acting Chief Secretary by the LG last week had triggered a full-blown war between the ruling AAP and Mr. Jung, with Mr. Kejriwal questioning the Lt. Governor’s authority and accusing him of trying to take over the administration.
    10 Delhi High Court on Monday had termed as “suspect” the Centre’s recent notification barring the ACB from acting against its officers in criminal offences and held that the Lt. Governor cannot act in his discretion.
  • Aap ki sarkar 100 Days – Kejriwal hits out at Centre, police & media

    Aap ki sarkar 100 Days – Kejriwal hits out at Centre, police & media

    NEW DELHI: It was on Valentine’s Day this year that Arvind Kejriwal took oath with an overwhelming mandate of 67 MLAs in a house of 70. But what should have been a prolonged honeymoon has turned out to be a troubled marriage as his government completes hundred days this Sunday. From dousing the fire within his own party to stoking a confrontation with the Centre (read LG), the CM has followed an agenda that has kept the pot boiling.

    He is the angry young man in the Amitabh mould. He has taken on the BJP-ruled corporations and Delhi Police in asserting his historic mandate and pushing his demand for full statehood. The media, he rages, has got a `supari’ or contract to kill his government. He has, however, taken care to keep his core constituency happy with slashed bills, subsidies and even with questionable decisions like giving the autorickshaws a virtual free run of the city.

    The corrupt have also been reined in somewhat, a hallmark of his previous stint too. The aam aadmi government got cocooned in the secretariat quite early, trying to keep away nosey journalists.Its intolerance of any criticism has put it at odds with the very media which had once championed the party’s ioned the party’s cause. In fact, the media has been condemned and sentenced. The chief minister, who is without a portfolio and working for “systemic change”, stays away from the limelight, leaving his deputy , Manish Sisodia, to field questions. He is, how ever, spotted at the Janata Durbars at his Civil Lines house. Ironically, for a party like AAP or what it had portrayed itself to be, Kejriwal is the high command.

    AAP’s delivery on its 70-point agenda in these 100 days is a matter of process and still waiting outcomes. While there are meetings and plans in process, these are mostly welfare and relief measures like subsidized power and compensations. Even the budget consulta tions with people got a lukewarm response. The middle class is once again feeling disconnected. The city’s transport system and roads are in a shambles, no major infrastructure project has been announced, and major decisions, like scrapping the BRT, are forever pending.

    While the promise of bring ing down power tariff will have to wait till the CAG audit of discoms is over, a subsidy has been introduced. The government is also giving every home a monthly quota of 700 litres of free water.

    To fight corruption – while the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) is under revamp – Kejriwal armed the common man with a helpline, 1031, on which people can complain about officers taking bribes, give evidence and seek action. However, the issue that became controversial in the 49 days of AAP – Jan Lokpal Bill – is under careful scrutiny this time. The chief minister said recently it will be first sent to the Centre for its views and then table it in the Delhi assembly .

    This is likely to be another flashpoint.

    Kejriwal’s political focus is on re-defining Centre-state relations. The battle for full statehood is now full blown with the Centre coming out with a notification that overrules Kejriwal’s writ in favour of LG and goes a step ahead to prevent the ACB from acting against any official – from the IAS to DANICS and the cops. This could be the beginning of another confrontation with the Centre.

    Kejriwal had taken over on February 14 as CM on a non-confrontationist note, promising “systemic change, good governance and cooperation with the Centre” to all those who felt betrayed by the chaotic protests of those 49 days of AAP . He had made the point even in a preelection interview with TOI. Peace did not prevail for long. The CM, in his first assembly session in February , raised the demand for full statehood and gradually entered into a full-fledged battle, throwing his interpretation of the law at Delhi Police, LG and then the Centre through letters to the union home minister and a letter to prime minister Narendra Modi whom he has repeatedly accused of “trying to run the city directly through LG”.

    The matter finally landed at the doorstep of the President. Now, with the Centre choosing to re ject Kejriwal’s interpretation of the Constitution, the issue is far from settled.

  • CENTRE BACKS JUNG; KEJRIWAL SAYS BJP AGAIN LOST TODAY

    CENTRE BACKS JUNG; KEJRIWAL SAYS BJP AGAIN LOST TODAY

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Centre, throwing its full weight behind lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung in his ongoing tussle with Arvind Kejriwal government, on May 22 amended a 1993 notification to clarify that Anti-Corruption Bureau shall have no jurisdiction to probe complaints against officers, employees and functionaries of the central government.

    In a gazette notification issued late on May 21, the Union home ministry ordered insertion of a new paragraph in the 1993 notification, as amended in 2014, stating that “the anti-corruption bureau police station shall not take any cognisance of offences against officers, employees and functionaries of the Central government”.

    It also substituted Paragraph 2 of the existing notification, rewriting it as “this notification shall apply to officials and employees of the National Capital of Delhi subject to provisions contained in Article 239AA of the Constitution”.

    The amended notification follows a day after Prime Minister intervened to settle the row that broke out after Kejriwal objected to LG’s “unilateral” decision to appoint IAS officer Shakuntala Gamlin as acting chief secretary.

    Reacting to the MHA notification, Delhi CM Kejriwal said that the BJP has again lost in Delhi today.

    “BJP first lost Delhi elections. Today’s notification shows the BJP’s nervousness about our anti-corruption efforts. BJP again lost today,” Kejriwal said in a tweet.

    The home ministry, through the new notification, has settled the Constitutional position regarding LG’s primacy to decide on posting, transfers and vigilance matters relating to Union Territory cadre officers of the All-India Services as well as services like DANICS and DANIPS.

    “..State Public Service Commission and State Public Services Commission…do not exist in the NCT of Delhi,” the notification says, adding that UT cadre IAS and IPS officers are common to Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Daman & Diu, Dadta & Nagar Haveli, Puducherry, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa and Mizoram, administered by Central government through the Union home ministry.
    “Similarly DANICS and DANIPS are common services catering to UTs of Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and NCT of Delhi…also administered by the Central government through the ministry of home affairs,” it further adds.

    Stating that NCT of Delhi had no state public services of its own, the Centre said Entry no 41 in state list relating to state public services and state public services Commission was not valid in Delhi’s case.

    Also clarifying the LG’s absolute powers insofar as “reserved” subjects of public order, police and land, the notification clarified that Article 239AA was clear that LG, “in his discretion”, may obtain views of the chief minister in regard to the matter of “services” where he seems it appropriate.

    This virtually turns Kejriwal’s interpretation that LG is constitutionally bound to consult the chief minister on all such matters, on its head.

  • Kejriwal on farmer’s death: I am guilty, should not have given my speech

    Kejriwal on farmer’s death: I am guilty, should not have given my speech

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Speaking for the first time about the death of farmer Gajaendra Singh during AAP’s kisan rally at Jantar Mantar, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said on April 24 that “he made a mistake”.

    “I should not have gone ahead with my speech and we should have called off the rally,” Kejriwal admitted.

    “I apologize If I have hurt people’s sentiments,” Kejriwal said.

    Kejriwal also said that he could not see what was happening on that tree. “If we had any inkling that he would do something like that, someone would have acted,” Kejriwal said.

    “I am saying that the incident took place in front of me. I am not able to digest it, I could not sleep that night,” the Delhi CM said.

    Kejriwal said that since he had accepted his mistake, now the focus should shift to plight of farmers in the country.

    “I want to ask to people of country that what is going on since last two days, is that right? If it is, then let it continue,” Kejriwal said in a sarcastic tone.

    “We should not indulge in blame games,” Kejriwal said. Reacting to Kejriwal’s appeal to end blame games over Gajendra’s death, BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said: “Arvind Kejriwal’s entire politics is focused on allegations. He is the king of blame games.”

    Meanwhile, Vijendra Singh, Gajendra Singh’s brother, appealed to Arvind Kejriwal to personally look into investigations into his brother’s death.

    “Investigating agencies should bring out the truth and Kejriwalji should support in that,” Vijendra Singh said

    Farmer Gajendra Singh, from Dausa in Rajasthan, on April 22 had hanged himself to death during AAP’s kisan rally at Jantar Mantar.

  • New AAP sting: Alleged tape shows Kejriwal refusing seats to Muslims

    New AAP sting: Alleged tape shows Kejriwal refusing seats to Muslims

    NEW DELHI (TIP): After a sting operation claimed that AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal had talked of poaching Congress MLAs to form the government in Delhi, a new tape has emerged in which he allegedly said that the Muslims have to vote for them to stop the Narendra Modi wave.

    In the conversation– allegedly recorded before Delhi assembly polls- -Kejriwal is reportedly heard saying that Muslims won’t expect AAP to field many candidates from their community beacause they were looking to the party to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    “If the party thinks that we field 11 Muslim candidates, then forget it. The question is not that AAP is giving 11 seats to people from the Muslim community. Muslims are looking at us in a way that if anyone can stop the Modi rath, then it is only Aam Aadmi Party,” a voice alleged to be that of Kejriwal is heard saying.

    “This is the hope that Muslims have from us. They don’t have any hope that more Muslim candidates will be fielded. Do a survey of 2000, 3000 and 5000 people. Do a survey of Muslims. What is the priority?

    “Today, no one is able to stop the Modi rath in the country. They are forming governments in states one after the other. Today, Muslims are looking at us…if anyone can stop the Modi rath. Congress is over. It has given up. It is not contesting polls. They are asking us to field 11 seats,” Kejriwal is heard saying in the tape.

    The tape has reportedly recorded when Kejriwal was in conversation with the members of the AAP minority wing and according to an AAP activist they had demanded 11 seats for Muslims which had been rejected.

    Member of the minority committee, Shahid Azad was quoted as saying in an Indian Express report that the minority wing had met on 24 November 2014 and decided there should a proportional representation of Muslims in ticket distribution and that they should be consulted before tickets were allotted. “

    “But Arvind Kejriwal did not respect processes and the voice of minorities within his party. Many people in the room were recording this conversation which happened in the month of December,” Azad is quoted as saying in the report.

    The AAP has also attempted to defend Kejriwal’s stand on the matter by saying that his statements showed that the party was against communal politics of giving seats to Muslims purely because of their religion.

    For the AAP and Kejriwal, the timing of the tape couldn’t be worse. Coming after two recordings that claim the AAP was trying to woo the Congress MLAs to switch sides in order to avoid elections, the new tape accuses the AAP chief of not heeding the voice of the minorities in his party.

    For a party that had hoped to capitalise on its dramatic success in the Assembly elections this year, none  of the tapes that are being aired in public augur well for its national convenor, who is also its best recognised face. He may have managed to hold  on to the post by ousting dissidents like Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, but as we’ve pointed out earlier the stings and the manner in which the party has been treating internal dissent may have weakened the party just at the moment when it seemed invincible. Kejriwal has been far too busy scrambling to deal with the internal war to make any meaningful headway on his actual job, ie governing Delhi. And it remains to be seen how long the public will be patient with a party that seems perpetually on the verge of chaos.

    ‘BHAGORA’ TAG RETURNS TO HAUNT KEJRIWAL

    As images of a calm Arvind Kejriwal doing yoga streamed in from Bengaluru, hundreds of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers were left wondering why the AAP convener and Delhi chief minister didn’t return to the Capital to battle horse-trading charges levelled against him after the surfacing of an audio tape. The tape purportedly has Kejriwal telling former party MLA Rajesh Garg last year to poach six Congress legislators to form the government in Delhi.

    Social media was flooded with questions from both supporters and opponents, many of whom revived the ‘bhagora’ (deserter) tag thrust on the AAP leader last year when he quit the government within 49 days.

    “He was working when he had high fever and a racking cough last year. The party is going to pieces in his absence right now and he needs to be here. Only he can contain the mess now,” said an AAP volunteer who has been working with the party for close to a year now.

    In the tape, the Delhi chief minister can be purportedly heard saying they had tried to poach the Congress legislators many times but hadn’t succeeded, the latest in a string of embarrassments for the party.

    “I am a staunch AAP supporter and even campaigned for the party in these elections but the party has failed to address these allegations convincingly. Arvind needs to come back and tell us the truth,” said Mohd Aslam, a resident of Jungpura.

    Kejriwal left for Bangalore on March 5, a day after senior leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were ousted from the party’s powerful political affairs committee. According to AAP spokespersons, the chief minister is undergoing naturopathy for elevated blood sugar levels.

    Party spokesperson Sanjay Singh, meanwhile on March 12, ruled out any tests to verify the authenticity of the tape. “Authentication is needed when something wrong is being said. Is there any mention of money or cabinet berths being offered? We agree that some of us met Congress leaders to discuss the possibility of government formation. We wanted to stop the BJP,” Singh said.

  • Bhushan threatened to destroy the party says Ashutosh – All is not well with AAP

    Bhushan threatened to destroy the party says Ashutosh – All is not well with AAP

    NEW DELHI (TIP): In another big revelation exposing fissures in Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), party leader Ashutosh on Sunday said that Prashant Bhushan once threatened to destroy the party, demanding Arvind Kejriwal’s resignations as party’s convener.

    Speaking to ANI, Ashutosh said that many questions were raised on Arvind during a party meeting earlier, he got up to respond, but broke into tears instead.

    “Kejriwal said – I fought against Robert Vadra, Ambani and Narendra Modi, but I can’t fight with my own people,” Ashutosh was quoted as saying by ANI.

    AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal stamped his dominance over the party on March 4 when two of his critics, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, were removed from the Political Affairs Committee, while his own offer of resignation as national convener of AAP was unanimously turned down.

    While one chapter of the bitter feud in AAP might have ended now, it may not be the end of the story. The decision to remove Bhushan and Yadav wasn’t unanimous – in fact, as many as eight voted against it while 11 voted for – indicating that there are a number of people in the PAC who share some of the concerns raised by the Bhushan-Yadav duo.

    Kejriwal himself stayed away from the meeting, possibly because of his poor health (he went to Bangalore for naturopathy treatment of his very high sugar levels), but more likely to make the point that he was above the squabbling lot – in other words, truly the first among the so-called equals.

    Kejriwal also avoided engaging with the Bhushan-Yadav duo on any of the issues raised by them. Even last night the duo, or one of them, is learnt to have sought a one-on-one meeting with Kejriwal but there was no response to the overture. At the end, he apparently insisted on their removal from the PAC as a precondition for his staying as the National Convener. A fresh letter of resignation as national convener on Wednesday morning only reiterated his firm stand.

    Before Wednesday’s PAC Meeting, there were serious efforts to sort to bring about a reconciliation between Kejriwal and the duo. Many options were considered, including one where the duo would offer some kind of apology. Most senior leaders found this reasonable as they also didn’t want the party’s unity to be affected in any way.

    However, when the leaders reached Kejriwal, he insisted on the duo’s removal from PAC, indicating a rather quick graduation of AAP to hard-nosed power politics. Sources said that while many recognized that the issues raised by the duo were important and needed to be addressed, their presence in the PAC was untenable after the recent war of words.

    At the meeting, Bhushan and Yadav suggested that the PAC be reconstituted, allowing new members to come in. This was, however, opposed by the Kejriwal loyalists, who insisted on a resolution seeking the removal of the duo. The resolution was moved by deputy CM Manish Sisodia and put to vote and the duo lost 11-8. Interestingly, some senior AAP leaders like Anand Kumar, Ajit Jha, Rakesh Sinha voted against their removal while Mumbai’s Mayank Gandhi and treasurer Krishnakant Sevada abstained.

    Sources said that considering that the resolution was backed by Kejriwal it was a democratic process of open voting that was followed without fear of recrimination. Yadav was also removed as the party’s chief spokesman.

    Kejriwal loyalists criticised Bhushan and Yadav at the six-hour meeting for not showing confidence in the Delhi election team. They pointed out that this lack of confidence was despite the team crafting a stunning win for AAP in the election. The duo’s continuing criticism of the team only showed that they were out of synch with the popular mood, the loyalists said. Bhushan and Yadav also raised the need for an internal ethics committee that had also been mentioned in their note.

    “There is a huge trust deficit between the two groups and it will take a while for it to be bridged, if it is bridged at all. In the last few days a lot of things have been said which have left everyone with a bad taste in the mouth. There was criticism from both sides with very little middle ground,” a senior leader said.

    The removal of the Bhushan-Yadav duo was announced by Kumar Vishwas who said that the duo have been “freed” of their responsibilities in the PAC and would be given new responsibilities. The new responsibilities were, however, not spelt out. He said “personal opinions and personal differences” will not come in the way of the unity of the party, which will deliver on its promises and will not betray the trust of the people.

    While there is an unmistakable sense of triumphalism in the Kejriwal camp, having removed the “two thorns”, leaders and members close to the duo felt that Bhushan and Yadav’s ouster from PAC only lent credence to their charge about the party being made into a “one-person” show.

    Still, Yadav and Bhushan are unlikely to leave AAP. They are likely to raise the same issues at the meeting of the AAP National Council – an all-India body of leaders, members and volunteers – that is scheduled for the month-end. The duo believe, said sources close to them, that the broader body would be the right forum to test whether their misgivings was shared by AAP members or not, or was it just a Delhi-centric opposition to their criticism.

    Speaking after the meeting Bhushan said, “The NE by majority decision decided that we should not remain the PAC. I hope that the party which was created and inspired millions of people as a party wedded to the principles of transparency, accountability, inner party democracy and Swaraj will not disappoint the people on whose efforts the party was founded.”