-
2. Kejriwal accused the Centre of trying to run the Delhi administration. "In Delhi, Central government is trying to run government unconstitutionally through the Lt Governor," wrote Arvind Kejriwal. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
-
When Arvind Kejriwal's daughter offered 'bribe' to test official:</br><br>Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today claimed corruption had come down by "70-80 per cent" after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power and cited how his daughter tested an official with a 'bribe' offer when she went to get her driving license. "I will not say that we have completely ended corruption in Delhi but it has come down by 70-80 per cent," Kejriwal said. "My daughter went to get her learner's driving license. I could have called the department and officers could have made it for me. But my daughter went to the office and waited for her turn. She told the officer (without revealing her identity) that she is not carrying one of the certificates which were required and the officer declined to make her license. She further tried to bribe him by offering money. As she offered money (to test him), this officer started looking at her phone to find out if she was making a video. My daughter insisted that it was urgent and she was ready to pay any amount but the officer refused it". (PTI) (17/05/2015)
-
BJP slams 'anarchist' Delhi CM and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal for raising Shakuntala Gamlin issue at rally:</br><br>The Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for raising the issue of Shakuntala Gamlin's appointment as acting Chief Secretary at a rally of auto rickshaw drivers here. Delhi BJP President Satish Upadhyay said: “One fails to understand the mindset of Arvind Kejriwal as no Chief Minister can be expected to stoop so low as to raise constitutional issues at a party rally and condemned constitutional authorities and decisions there. Tracking the way Kejriwal has been working for last three months all we can say is that he is a self obsessed anarchist by nature who has no respect for any kind of institution." (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav) (17/05/2015)
-
Congress sides with Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP govt:</br><br>Amid the bitter tussle between Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Lt Governor over the face-off between LG Najeeb Jung and AAP govt on appointment of Shakuntala Gamlin as acting Chief Secretary, Congress today said views of the elected government must be respected including on posting of top bureaucrats and held that the face-off has seriously affected governance in the city. DPCC Chief Ajay Maken said: "In democracy, the views of the elected government must be respected. The Chief Minister should have a say in posting of officials. There must be proper coordination between the LG and the Chief Minister." (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav) (17/05/2015)
-
AAP govt insulting NE people, says MoS Home Kiren Rijiju:</br><br>The war of words over appointment of Delhi's Acting Chief Secretary continued with Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of indulging in character assassination of a lady IAS officer Shakuntala Gamlin from the Northeast and "disobeying" the Constitution. Accusing the AAP of insulting the people of Delhi, the Minister said the officer's appointment was made by the LG as per rules and the Delhi government was making allegations against her without any proof. "This is nothing but character assassination of a lady IAS officer from the Northeast. They are saying she is incapable. What are the charges against her. If she is involved in any corruption, bring charges against her.By making public statements against her, they are just indulging in character assassination, it is an insult to the people of Northeast," he said. (PTI) (17/05/2015)
-
Delhi LG working at Centre's behest, says AAP:</br><br>Intensifying its attack on the Lieutenant Governor over the appointment of Shakuntala Gamlin as acting chief secretary, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today accused Najeeb Jung of working at the behest of the Centre. AAP MLA and the party's Delhi unit secretary Saurabh Bharadwaj also slammed Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju after the latter accused the Delhi government of indulging in character assassination of a lady IAS officer from the Northeast and "disobeying" the Constitution: "There is nothing related to a character of a lady and there is nothing related to the region from where she has come. This is height of stupidity that somebody will raise such a thing," he said. The Greater Kailash MLA alleged that the LG was working at the behest of the Home Ministry. "Everybody understands that LG is acting at the behest of the Home Ministry. They want to trouble the Delhi government by all means and all ways. And LG is not ready to cooperate with the government. The government has been elected recently and has got a huge mandate. If they don't respect Arvind Kejriwal, that is fine. But at least they should respect the mandate of the people. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav) (17/05/2015)
-
CPI(M) backs Arvind Kejriwal's AAP govt in Delhi over Shakuntala Gamlin row:</br><br>Arvind Kejriwal government got support from CPI(M) in the standoff with Lt Governor Najeeb Jung over appointment of the acting chief secretary. The party said appointment of any officer should not be without consultation with the state government. CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said that the Centre should not encroach upon the rights of states in such matters. "If Centre tries to encroach upon the rights of state government through the LG, if it tries to attack rights of state, then it is wrong. We oppose it," Yechury added. Reacting to Kiren Rijiju's comments, Yechury said if there was any such case, then "the law and order is in the hands of Centre (to take action)". However, he added, Centre should not try to encroach upon rights of the state government in appointing officers. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav) (17/05/2015)
-
AAP protests against petrol, diesel price hike by Centre:</br><br>The Delhi unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hit the streets today protesting against the hike in fuel prices by the Centre. Party legislators, functionaries and volunteers gathered at Jantar Mantar with placards, protesting against the Centre's decision to hike the fuel rates. The petrol price was hiked by Rs 3.13 a litre and diesel by Rs 2.71 per litre on Friday, the second straight steep increase in rates this month. "The government is not run by big talks, but with that only the common man suffers," said a message on a placard while another placard read, "Bas ho gayi mehangai ki maar. Kahan gayi Modi sarkar (The inflation has hit the common man hard. Where is the Modi government?)" (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav) (17/05/2015)
-
Will gherao Arvind Kejriwal's AAP govt if NDMC funds not released, says mayor:</br><br>Mayor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation Ravindra Gupta said if the Delhi government fails to release the "due" funds of Rs 2000 crore to them, the employees will launch a stir against the Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) dispensation. He claimed that Lt Governor Najeeb Jung had forwarded the appeal of the NDMC for release of funds to Delhi Chief Secretary for necessary action. "If the Kejriwal government doesn't releases the due funds, then Kejriwal would be gheraoed by sanitation workers and dharnas would be staged against him," Gupta said. "Delhi government has to release funds worth nearly Rs 2,000 cr," he claimed. (Express Photo By Amit Mehra) (17/05/2015)
-
AAP to fund education of children of farmers who committed suicide: The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Maharashtra unit today announced setting up of a 'seed fund' to help children of the farmers who committed suicide this year, by sponsoring their education till class XII. The AAP unit office-bearers took the decision before embarking on a seven-day mass contact programme today for farmers and farm labourers in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions that would conclude on May 24 at Sindkhed Raja, near Jalna, which is the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji's mother Jijabai. "We are not in power, so we discussed the best way to help the farmers and their families. So, we decided to sponsor the education upto class XII of the children of deceased farmers," AAP state unit's executive committee member Ravi Srivastav said. "Since the starting of this year, 622 farmers in the state have ended their lives in desperation. Our party feels that their children deserve better opportunities to live, hence we decided to help in this way," he said. (PTI) (17/05/2015)
