Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of attempting to sabotage the Mahila Samman Yojna welfare scheme for women announced by the Aam Aadmi Party earlier this month.
On December 12, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal announced that the Delhi Cabinet had approved the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana to provide Rs 1,000 per month to women above the age of 18.
The former chief minister promised that the amount would be increased to Rs 2,100 per month if the Aam Aadmi Party retains power in the national capital in the next Assembly elections, expected by February.
About a week later, Kejriwal promised free medical treatment for all senior citizens residing in Delhi under the Sanjeevani Yojana if his party retained power. On December 18, he said that Aam Aadmi Party volunteers would visit homes to register eligible senior citizens for the scheme, which would be implemented after the Assembly polls.
On Saturday, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena ordered a probe into the schemes based on complaints received from Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit.
Dikshit has made several allegations against Kejriwal and his party, including fraudulent collection of personal data under the pretext of the Mahila Samman Yojana, the deployment of the Punjab government’s intelligence officers near the residences of Congress candidates, and the alleged transfer of cash from Punjab to Delhi to sway the elections, NDTV reported.
Saxena also said that Delhi’s chief secretary may have to notify the Election Commission about the issue, reported The Hindu.
In a press conference on Saturday, Kejriwal said the two welfare initiatives had rattled the Hindutva party and the Congress, causing them to join hands to stop the Aam Aadmi Party.
Kejriwal promised that the two schemes would be implemented in the capital if the Aam Aadmi Party was voted back to power, regardless of any opposition to them. He also encouraged residents to “trust their Kejriwal” and continue registering for the schemes.
“If they send me to jail, I’ll go again, but I’ll keep fighting for you,” Kejriwal added.
After Kejriwal’s press conference, the BJP’s Delhi unit chief Virendra Sachdeva accused the Aam Aadmi Party of “digital fraud” against citizens of the capital.
"You talked about giving Rs 1,000 to women in Punjab, but it has been three years, and not a single penny has been delivered,” Sachdeva alleged according to India Today. “AAP is using lies and deceitful methods to collect data.”
Saxena also claimed that Delhi’s ruling party was attempting to manipulate electoral rolls ahead of the Assembly election.
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Delhi government departments disown welfare schemes announced by Aam Aadmi Party
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