Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Dec 28: The Aam Aadmi Party supremo and the former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwl has rubbished the Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena ordering an inquiry into the alleged collection of personal details of women in the garb of registration for the proposed “Mahila Sanmman Yojana” and said the BJP was sensing defeat in the coming elections to the Delhi Assembly and was using the LG’s office to stop the AAP government’s people’s welfare schemes.
The LG has declared the proposed scheme as “fake” saying the monetary promise was a poll announcement after Mr Kejriwal announced that the AAP if voted back power would enhance the assistance to eligible women from the present Rs 1,000 per month to Rs 2,100.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Mr Kejriwal said “We announced Rs 2,100 per month to all eligible women in Delhi under Mahila Sanmman Yojana and free treatment of the senior citizen under Sanjeevani Yojana, after forming government in Delhi. What are they going to enquire?” Mr Kejriwal asked. The AAP national convenor alleged that the BJP was trying to stop the AAP government’s schemes just so that it could have a chance at defeating it in the February election.
Delhi Lt Governor on Saturday ordered investigations into allegations concerning the AAP’s schemes ahead of the assembly elections scheduled for next year. The Lt Governor’s office has issued separate directives to the Delhi Chief Secretary and Commissioner of Police, based on complaints raised by Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit.
The allegations include claims about fraudulent collection of personal data under the guise of AAP’s Mahila Sanmman Yojana, the presence of Punjab intelligence officers near the residences of Congress candidates, and the alleged transfer of cash from Punjab to Delhi to influence the elections.
Mr Dikshit’s complaint also flagged concerns about the Mahila Sanmman Yojana, an AAP initiative promising a monthly payment of Rs 2,100 to eligible women. The LG has ordered the Chief Secretary to conduct an inquiry through the Divisional Commissioner into the alleged collection of personal data by private individuals under the guise of enrolling beneficiaries. The Delhi Police has been instructed to take legal action against those breaching citizens’ privacy by organising unauthorised registration camps.
The L-G in the letter said the chief secretary of the Delhi government may bring the matter to the knowledge of the Election Commission of India through the chief electoral office given that the alleged canvassing was happening ahead of the election.
“We were repeatedly asking what would the BJP do by contesting elections. What is their plan? Today we got to know that if they win, they will stop the Mahila Sanmman Yojana, Sanjeevani Yojana, free electricity and free education,” the former Delhi Chief Minister said.
Delhi government’s Women and Child Development and Health departments had earlier issued public notices stating that the Mahila Sanmman Yojana and the Sanjeevani Yojana lacked government approval and were “non-existent.” These notices warned citizens against sharing personal details with unauthorised individuals and described the registrations as fraudulent.
“I had said that after winning the election, we would give Rs 2,100 to women and free treatment to the elderly above 60 years of age. Both these schemes were so beneficial for the public that lakhs of people registered for them already. This made the BJP nervous, many BJP leaders told me that to forget about winning, the BJP’s deposit would be forfeited in many places,” Mr Kejriwal said. “First, they sent their goons, then sent the police and uprooted the registration camp, today they have ordered a fake investigation that there will be an investigation. What will they investigate? We had made an election announcement that if we win the election, we will implement it.”
Mr Dikshit’s complaint to the Lt Governor claimed cash being transported from Punjab to Delhi, allegedly to fund election-related activities. The LG’s office has directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to monitor vehicles entering the city from neighbouring states. Police forces in neighbouring Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan have also been alerted to prevent any potential illegal activities.
In another serious allegation, Mr Dikshit claimed that Punjab intelligence officers were stationed near Congress candidates’ residences in Delhi. The LG’s office has directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to investigate this claim and submit a detailed report within three days.
The BJP shot back, accusing Mr Kejriwal of settling illegal immigrants in the national capital for votes.
“Arvind Kejriwal and his party’s government are continuously settling illegal voters in Delhi. Today we showed 6 examples…Arvind Kejriwal does the work of settling illegal voters in Delhi before every assembly election. In 2015, 14 lakh votes were increased, in 2019, 9 lakh votes were increased and the same conspiracy is being hatched in Delhi now but the Bharatiya Janata Party will not let this conspiracy succeed. We have complained to the Election Commission, we will do it today also,” said Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva.
The AAP has alleged that the investigations are politically motivated, accusing the BJP of using the LG’s office to sabotage its electoral prospects. “This order has not come from the L-G’s office but from Amit Shah’s office. The BJP wants to stop the Mahila Sanmman Yojana in Delhi because they do not respect women. BJP has accepted defeat in the Delhi elections,” AAP said.
The party claimed that over 22 lakh women have already registered for the Mahila Sanmman Yojana. “BJP leaders are openly distributing money, but no one will investigate that. They just want to stop all the free schemes given by us. You go ahead, and we will implement the ‘Mahila Sanmman’ and ‘Sanjeevani’ schemes,” Kejriwal said.
The Delhi government’s Women and Child Development and Health departments issued public notices on Wednesday distancing themselves from the ruling AAP’s promised schemes of providing Rs 2,100 to women and free treatment for the elderly. The two departments had also cautioned the people against providing personal details to anyone on the pretext of registration for the “non-existent” schemes, saying any private individual or political party collecting such physical forms or information is “fraudulent and without any authority.”