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Survey: AAP likely to win 100 seats in Punjab

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Chandigarh: In what is likely to be an encouraging development for the Aam Aadmi Party supporters, a new survey has predicted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s party to win nearly 100 seats in Punjab.

The survey conducted by HuffPost-CVoter in February shows a consolidation of favourable sentiment in favour of AAP from the same time last year.

As per the findings of the survey, AAP is likely to bag between 94-100 out of the 117 seats in the Punjab Legislative Assembly, up from the 83-89 projection of the CVoter poll from April, 2015.

The latest CVoter-HuffPost poll has the Congress Party trailing in the second position with 8-14 seats in the Assembly, down from the 12-18 seats projection, last year.

The ruling SAD-BJP alliance will come with just 6-12 seats, down from 13-19 seats last year, the survey claimed.

Interestingly, the survey claimed that 48 percent would vote for AAP if the election was held today.

In the 2012 State Assembly Election for Punjab, SAD won 56 seats followed by the Congress Party with 46 seats, and the BJP with 12 seats. 78 percent of respondents said that they wanted a change in government, indicating a huge wave of anti-incumbency.

According to the survey, AAP’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal is the most favoured face as chief ministerial candidate for Punjab, while Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh turns out to be the second favourite choice for the top job.

While 59% respondents wanted Kejriwal to be declared the chief ministerial candidate for Punjab, 51% said they would choose Arvind Kejriwal over Amarinder Singh. They also chose him over deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Among Kejriwal, Sukhbir Badal and Captain Amarinder for CM’s choice, 51% backed Kejriwal, 35% Amarinder and 7% Sukhbir.

Unemployment, drug abuse and corruption were identified as the three main problems of Punjab.

(Agencies)

Odd-even scheme starts in Delhi, overwhelmed by ‘success’, says Kejriwal

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New Delhi: Each time an even-numbered vehicle was flagged down here, the offending motorist was offered a rose — and some counselling about the rising pollution levels in the national capital.

The scene was a busy traffic intersection near Noida where a number of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers were assisting Delhi Police personnel in keeping a tab on vehicles following the launch on Friday of the odd-even scheme for restricting movement of cars.

There were no police barricades near the Delhi-Noida border in the morning and the volunteers tried to ensure a smooth flow of traffic on the road. The volunteers, however, flagged down a few even-numbered four-wheelers and went up to the driver to present a rose, reflecting a Gandhian spirit.

They also counselled the motorists to follow the Delhi government’s odd-even plan and asked them to return. While some vehicle owners followed the instructions, others gave their reasons for not being able to comply with the plan.

Shiv Kumar Sharma, a civil defence volunteer from Geeta Colony circle in east Delhi, said his group was able to persuade some motorists to turn back. “We are here since 7 a.m. We are giving roses to people and couselling them about the odd-even formula. So far, we have persuaded around a dozen people to turn back,” he said.

“Some people said they were going to hospital or there was an emergency. We did let them go.”

The roses were provided by the area district magistrate’s office.

Another civil defence volunteer, who did not wish to be named, said his group refrained from entering into any argument with the violators and requested them to comply with the rule.

“We cannot prosecute people. The police will do that,” he said, adding that the police were cooperating with them.

There were a few commuters who stopped by to cheer the volunteers. “This is a very good initiative. The volume of traffic has come down,” said Dinesh Singhal, a biker.

The odd-even scheme that allows odd- and even-numbered private vehicles to ply on the city roads on alternate days aims at reducing air pollution levels. The scheme started here on Friday on a trial basis and will end on January 15.

(IANS)

Odd-even scheme starts in Delhi, overwhelmed by ‘success’, says Kejriwal

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New Delhi: Delhi government’s odd-even scheme on car movement to curb pollution in the national capital started on Friday.

As per the rule, cars with odd-number registration would be allowed to ply on Friday.

Those not abiding the rule would be fined Rs.2,000.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he was “overwhelmed” by the response of people towards the odd-even scheme here.

“I am truly overwhelmed by the response we have received so far. There are very less even-numbered cars on the roads. The plan seems to have been successful,” he told media.

He said the people of Delhi accepted the scheme “whole-heartedly”, adding “I am confident that in next five years people will show the way to rest of the country”.

“Delhi has done it! Reports so far very encouraging. Delhiites! You give me hope that you are capable of achieving big challenges,” Kejriwal said in a tweet.

“I am pooling my car and going to office with two ministers, my personal secretary and my joint secretary,” he said.

Mooted by the Delhi government, the odd-even scheme that allows odd and even-numbered private vehicles on the city roads on alternate days aims at reducing air pollution levels in the national capital.

(IANS)

Delhi govt bureaucrats on mass leave against suspension order

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New Delhi: Delhi government bureaucrats today went on mass leave to protest against the suspension of two DANICS-cadre officers even as the Union Home Ministry declared the suspension as null and void.

 

A day after two senior civil service officers of the Home Department were suspended by the AAP government for refusing to sign on a Cabinet decision file, around 200 DANICS officers went on mass leave while 70 IAS officers have gone on half-day leave, showing solidarity with the suspended officers.

The action was taken against Yashpal Garg, special secretary (Prosecution), and Subhash Chandra, after they refused to sign a file pertaining to the Cabinet decision to increase salary of public prosecutors.

However, the Union Home Ministry termed the suspension as null and void.

Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS) are selected through civil service exams conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Only the Delhi Lt Governor can suspend DANICS-cadre officers with permission from the Union Home Ministry.

Reacting to the protest, Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain said DANICS and IAS officers do not have the right to go on strike as it is against their service rule.

Unfazed by IAS and DANICS officers associations’ decision to skip WORK today, he said, “People will be happy if they go on strike. All system pertaining to governance is based online today and government will not suffer.”

The Delhi Home Minister further said that Delhi government was ready to grant all officers even one month or 15-day leave if they apply for the same.

“The two officers were suspended for not implementing Cabinet decision on December 28. If they had any problem with my order, they should have approached Chief Minister not LG.Lt Governor has already asked officers to defy government decision,” he charged.

“I know that by the evening, LG will declare the suspension of two officers by Delhi Government as null and void,” Jain said here.

Jain said that if officers working in the Delhi government have any problem, they can get themselves transferred to the LG office, adding that government will not tolerate “disobedience”.

Jain also alleged that BJP is provoking Delhi Government officers to go on strike.

The DANICS Officers’ Association comprise around 200 members who hold crucial posts including that of SDM, Secretary to minister and special secretary.

“Delhi Government does not have power to suspend any DANICS officer and it can only recommend suspension of DANICS officer and on this, LG can suspend him or her with permission from MHA,” a representative of the association said.

Earlier this month, Kejriwal had also suspended two sub-divisional magistrates for failing to provide instant relief to victims whose shanties were demolished by Railways in West Delhi’s Shakur Basti area.

However, these two SDMs are still holding their posts and doing their work.

(Agencies)

AAP levels fresh allegations against Arun Jaitley

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arun jaitley

New Delhi: Continuing its offensive against him, AAP today alleged that Arun Jaitley, in his capacity as President of DDCA in 2011, had “pressurised” the then Police Commissioner to “close” an investigation involving a cricket club of a private bank.

The party released two letters, purportedly written by Jaitley, to former Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta and then Special Commissioner Ranjit Narayan, requesting them to “fairly” deal with the matter and “close” the case since “DDCA has done no wrong”.

The party also renewed its demand for Jaitley’s resignation in the wake of the “fresh disclosures”. The letter to Gupta is dated October 27, 2011 while the one written to Narayan is dated May 5, 2012.

Senior AAP leader Ashutosh claimed that the letters “punctured” the Union Finance Minister’s repeated assertions that he was in no way connected to any wrongdoing in the Delhi and District Cricket Association, which he headed from 1999 to 2013.

Reacting to the allegations, BJP Spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao asked as to what was wrong in Jaitley writing a letter to the police commissioner. “He was not even in power so the charge does not stick.”

In the letter to Narayan, Jaitley is quoted as writing that “some persons have been repeatedly approaching Delhi Police with complaints in relation to the identity of the Syndicate Bank Cricket Club.

“The complaints are completely unsubstantiated and do not disclose any offense. Certain office bearers of DDCA are feeling harassed by repeated questioning in this regard. I would request you to look into this matter so that it can be fairly dealt with and closed since the DDCA has done no wrong.”

When contacted DDCA said the club is under them and that it currently falls in the “institutional” category.

“There are two types of clubs namely institutional and private. While a private club receives a subsidy, an institutional does not and that is the broad difference between the two,” a DDCA official said.

The AAP said it is an irregularity as it involved the alleged conversion of an “institutional club” run by Syndicate Bank to a “private club” through “collusion” of DDCA officials with certain private individuals not connected with the entity.

“Can Jaitley deny that his actions amount to directly obstructing the police investigation in an ongoing case? On what basis did he conclude that the complaints were unsubstantiated and disclosed no offence?” Ashutosh asked.

In the letter to Gupta, Jaitley is quoted to have written that the entire controversy is based on the fact that Cricket Club of the Syndicate Bank was converted as a private club.

“The fact is that on 2/11/2005 the bank itself had written to one Bhola Shankar who was managing the club that the club shall henceforth be run by him and be a private club. Subsequently the Bank changed its position and Shri Bhola Shankar also agreed to hand back the club to the bank.

“The DDCA is willing to give the club back to be managed by the bank itself but nobody seems to be showing active interest from the bank’s side. However, some persons who are not employees of the bank or in any way connected with the bank or the club have been pursuing some complaints in this matter,” the letter said.

Jaitley requested Gupta to look into the issue and “ensure that the matter is dealt with fairly and closed since the DDCA has done no wrong.”

AAP stressed on the fact that Jaitley held the position of the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha during that period which effectively means that he “misused” a constitutional position by trying to “influence the probe”.

“Given Jaitley’s political clout in this Central government, is it fair for you to continue as a Central minister, particularly when the Delhi Police directly reports to the Centre?” Ashutosh asked.

(PTI)

Kejriwal seeks Modi’s resignation, attacks Jaitley

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arvind-kejriwal

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation for ordering a CBI raid on his office.

Launching his fiercest attack yet on the prime minister, Kejriwal told the Delhi assembly that the CBI raided his office – notwithstanding the CBI’s denials – because it was looking for a file on the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).

“I demand Prime Minister Modi’s resignation for the fraudulent raid he ordered to save (Finance Minister) Arun Jaitley,” who had headed the DDCA for years, the Aam Aadmi Party leader said to thumping of desks by his party colleagues.

Kejriwal also asked Modi to sack Jaitley because of his involvement in the DDCA, where critics have alleged largescale financial bungling. Jaitley has claimed innocence in the entire affair.

If Jaitley was indeed innocent, he should prove this to the Commission of Inquiry set up by the Delhi government, he said.

“He should feel ashamed,” Kejriwal thundered, referring to Modi and the December 15 raid by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which has denied searching Kejriwal’s office and said that it only targeted his principal secretary Rajendra Kumar for corruption.

December 15, the chief minister said, was “a black day” for India.

Kejriwal accused Modi of constantly interfering in the functioning of the AAP government.

He said he had urged Modi to let the AAP government work without interference but “he did not agree”.

“The CBI said the chief minister was not raided… Only his principal secretary’s office was raided. If this is indeed true, why did they enter my office?” Kejriwal asked.

He said they were looking for a file on the DDCA, and alleged that despite 50 hours of interrogation spread over six days, the CBI had not been able to build a case of corruption against Rajendra Kumar. “They are mentally torturing him.”

Kejriwal poked fun at Modi for wearing a Rs.10 lakh suit last year, and demanded to know how a “chai wala” (tea seller) could afford such a costly suit.

The AAP leader denied accusations that his party had earlier advocated independence for the CBI but had now done a U turn.

“Even today we say that the CBI should be independent. And the day it becomes independent, it will not raid Rajendra Kumar… It will send a notice to Modi to ask where you got Rs.10 lakh to buy the suit.

“The CBI is not independent. Don’t fool the people.”

(IANS)

DDCA row: Jaitley files defamation complaint against Kejriwal

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arun jaitley

New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday filed a criminal defamation complaint against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders for making what he said were false allegations about irregularities in the DDCA.

Jaitley said the allegations levelled by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders will cause “irreversible damage to his reputation”.

Advocate Sidharth Luthra told the court that the minister did not take “a single penny” from the Delhi and District Cricket Association and that Kejriwal and AAP leaders had made defamatory and baseless charges.

“No member of the family of Jaitely is involved in any capacity with the companies involved in the DDCA case,” Luthra told the court.

He cited Facebook and Twitter posts of AAP leaders to show how Jaitley was defamed.

In his complaint against Kejriwal, Jaitley also named AAP leaders Kumar Vishwas, Raghav Chadha, Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh and Deepak Bajpai.

Jaitley, who headed the DDCA for 13 years till 2013, has been accused of corruption by Delhi’s ruling AAP. He has denied the charges.

Kejriwal has demanded that Jaitley must resign from the government or be removed as finance minister to enable an independent probe into the DDCA affairs.

(Agencies)

DDCA row: AAP poses 5 questions to Jaitley

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New Delhi: The AAP today put “five specific” questions to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley relating to its allegations of corruption in Delhi’s cricket body DDCA under his watch and accused him of giving “vague” response to the charges.

Calling Jaitley a “master of half truth and beautiful lies”, AAP leader Ashutosh made certain fresh allegations against the Finance Minister and said his comments that there was no specific charges against him was “misleading”.

Jaitley has strongly rejected the allegations calling them a propaganda technique of Kejriwal to deflect attention when he himself was in the “dock” following a CBI raid in Delhi Secretariat.

Addressing a press conferencehere, Ashutosh accused DDCA of allowing private firm 21st Century to sub-lease 10 corporate boxes at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium and claimed the firm owned by a friend of Jaitley was extended financial benefit to the tune of over Rs 5 crore for the deal.

The AAP leader asked Jaitley to clarify who were members of the 21st Century and whether it had any of his kin.

The AAP leader also accused Jaitley of putting pressure on ONGC to give an amount of Rs 5 crore to Hockey India and sought to know what was the reason behind it.

Alleging huge financial bungling in reconstruction of the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, the AAP leader said although public sector entity EPIL was paid Rs 57 crore for the project the remaining Rs 57 crore out of the total expenditure of Rs 114 crore was distributed among nine companies.

“The registered address, e-mail and directors of these companies were same. Did Jaitley know about these companies and is it not corruption,” asked the AAP leader.

On Jaitley’s comments that the SFIO report had absolved him, Ashutosh said the Finance Minister hid the fact that punishment for offences mentioned by the central agency included imprisonment.

“We had raised specific questions and Jaitley gave vague answers. That is why we are coming out with five specific questions for him,” AAP leader Sanjay Singh said.

The AAP leaders also asked Jaitley to tell about his relationship with Hockey India chief Narendra Batra.

They said Delhi Government last month had set up committee to probe irregularities in DDCA after getting a communication in this regard from Union Sports Ministry. They said Home Ministry had communicated to Sports Ministry about irregularities in DDCA following which it wrote to Delhi Government.

Following a CBI raid in Delhi Secretariat in connection with charges against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar, AAP has been claiming that the Central agency carried out the searches to target the AAP chief and was looking for a file relating to graft in DDCA.

Since then, the party has been demanding resignation of Jaitley from the Union Cabinet.

(PTI)

AAP calls Jaitley corrupt, asks Modi to sack him

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New Delhi: Keeping up the attack on Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, AAP today alleged huge financial bunglings in DDCA during his 13 year-old tenure as its chief, saying large amounts were siphoned off through fake companies besides other irregularies including in team selection.

At a press conference here, the AAP leaders, quoting from reports of Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), DDCA’s internal probe committee and a Delhi Government-appointed inquiry panel, accused Jaitley of giving “direct and indirect” consent to “massive corruption” in the cricket body.

Jaitley had yesterday rubbished the allegations and said he will not respond to vague charges. “The bunglings had happened under direct or indirect consent of Arun Jaitley during his tenure as DDCA chief. Prime Minister Narendra Modi must ask Jaitley to resign to ensure fair probe as some of the competent agencies to invstigate the are under Finance Ministry,” said AAP Spokesperson Raghav Chadha, flanked by a number of other leaders.

Citing instances of such “frauds”, he alleged an additional expenditure of Rs 90 crore was incurred in renovation of the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium against sanctioned budget of Rs 24 crore and that fake companies were set up by DDCA office bearers to siphon off money through roundtripping.

“Payments were made to five companies whose registered addresses were same and were headed by same director. There was duplication of funds and fictitious companies were paid for work they never did,” alleged Chadha. Calling the irregularities a “Commonwealth Scam of Cricket”, they said BJP MP and former cricketer Kirti Azad had been seeking investigation into the serious allegations and a number of inquiry commitees have found gross misappropriation of funds in DDCA.

The AAP leaders repeated their allegations that Jaitley was behind the CBI raid at Delhi Secretariat on Monday as well as “take over” of Delhi ACB from Delhi Government by the Centre to scuttle probe into DDCA affairs.

“The DDCA was a den of corruption under Jaitley,” said Chadha. Asked why they have come out with the reports of SFIO and DDCA’s internal committee which were already in public domain, AAP leader Sanjay Singh said the Delhi government was committed to investigate the irregularities unlike past dispensations which “sat over them”.

“The CBI had come looking for few incriminating documents that are not yet in public domain. The raids were carried out in an attempt to intimidate the Delhi Government,” he alleged.

AAP said the statutory auditor of DDCA has been facing prosecution for fudging accounts and that a statement to this effect was made by MoS in Finance Ministry Jayant Sinha in Parliament.

To Jaitley’s comment that he would only respond to specific charges, Singh said now the Finance Minister should not only answer to the allegations but also should resign from the post. “Jaitley is not only answerable to us. But he is answerable to his own party members.”

The AAP leaders said acting on a communication dated July 27 from Union Sports Ministry, the Delhi government initiated a probe into irregularities in DDCA.

“A three-member committee was formed for the purpose headed by senior IAS officer Chetan Sanghi. The committee on November 17 gave a report to the Chief Minister highlighting glaring irregularities in DDCA and recommended setting up of a Commission of Enquiry to thoroughly probe the matter,” said Chadha.

Ashutosh claimed that Sanghi was threatened of dire consequences by a joint secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. The party said 22 days after Sanghi filed the report, on December 9, the ACB registered a case of corruption against him in connection with some of his decisions during the Sheila Dikshit Government.

The AAP leaders quoted a DDCA internal fact-finding committee report which they said “the magnitude and extent of improprieties, irregularities and misconduct committed by various officials were of gigantic proportions”.

They alleged that 10 newly constructed corporate boxes at Feroz Shah Kotla were given out on lease to companies without following laid down rules during Jaitley’ tenure.

“There were instances of proxy litigations to mint money. Lawyers who used to appear against DDCA were paid by the cricket body itself,” said Chadha.

They alleged that Jaitley had turned DDCA into “an exclusive club of elites and had institutionalised corruption. Only wards of political leaders and the rich can hope to play for Delhi due to nepotism.”

AAP said forged age cerificates were used to fudge to let certain players get selected despite exceeding age limit and quoted FIR into large number of such cases which the Delhi Police did not pursue.

“Selection of selectors and players for across age groups were as per Jaitley’s choice,” said Singh adding the party will come out with “part two of the revealation soon”. Kumar Vishwas said the party had “overheard” that there was a big agenda against it lined up for Friday.

(Agencies)

Found Rs.2.4 lakh from Kejriwal’s secretary’s house: CBI

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New Delhi: The CBI said on Tuesday that it raided 14 locations in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and found Rs.2.4 lakh from the house of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s secretary.

A CBI spokesman said documents related to three immovable properties along with the cash were recovered from secretary Rajendra Kumar’s residence.

Kejriwal said earlier that the CBI had raided his office and called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “coward”.

The Central Bureau of Investigation also said that Kumar was not cooperating with it in opening his email accounts.

The CBI said another Rs.10.5 lakh had been recovered from G.K. Nanda, who it said was a co-accused with Kumar in a case of corruption.

Nanda is the general manager of Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd (TCIL).

(Agencies)

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