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Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena today ordered investigations into allegations concerning the Aam Aadmi Party'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.
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal termed the allegations against his party as "fake" and posed a question: "What will they investigate?"
The allegations include claims about fraudulent collection of personal data under the guise of AAP's Mahila Samman 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 Samman 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.
"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 Samman Yojana, Sanjeevani Yojana, free electricity, free education and free electricity," 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 Samman 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 AAP has alleged that the investigations are politically motivated, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (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 Samman 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 Samman Yojana.