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Don't care about the media, people of Delhi are happy with the AAP govt, says Kejriwal

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Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Stating that he doesn’t care about media, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that if election is held in the national capital today, Aam Aadmi Party would poll 72 percent votes.

“Whatever comes in the media, but I conduct a survey every 15 days of my party in Delhi. If elections are conducted in the national capital, then we are ought to get 72 percent votes. After the elections, our condition has improved a lot,” Kejriwal said, while interacting with party volunteers through Google Hangout.

He also said that his government is going to complete 100 days. After the Delhi Assembly’s elections, people’s affection has increased towards the AAP.

The Delhi Chief Minister also took a dig at the Narendra Modi-led central government, saying “normally, it is seen that parties win the election, but gradually people get fed up of them. The biggest example of this is the Modi government at the Centre”.

“Their popularity has decreased from the time they came to power. But our popularity has increased and today if elections are conducted in Delhi then we will get 72 percent votes according to our survey.”

In the last Assembly elections, the AAP polled 54.59 percent.

Kejriwal said the AAP government is going to complete 100 days in its office on 24 May while the Modi government will complete its one year on May 26.

“I think there should be comparison of work between Modi’s and our governments. There should be comparison as to what we have done in the last 100 days and what Modi’s government has done in the last one year,” he also said.

Attacking the media, the Delhi Chief Minister said, “Media keeps showing us in negative light but don’t worry about that as people of Delhi is happy with us. Despite media’s attempts, people gave us 67 seats.”

“As far as starting a media house is concerned, we don’t want to do that. There are good people in media too, who are not happy. If some senior people come together and want to start a news channel or news paper, the government will definitely help them. We also want a honest media house which only shows news,” he said.

(PTI)

Shouldn't have gone ahead with the rally, says Kejriwal

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Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi/Jaipur: Admitting his “mistake” of going ahead with his speech at the rally where a farmer from Rajasthan committed suicide, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today tendered an apology, which was “rejected” by the family of the deceased, who demanded a CBI probe into the incident.

“I was to deliver an hour-long speech but I wrapped it up in 10-15 mins. I think that was my mistake. Probably I should not have spoken. If that has hurt anynone’s sentiments I would like to apologise,” an under-fire Kejriwal said.

He, however, insisted that the focus should not deviate from the “real” issues being faced by the farmers.

“I am guilty. Blame me. I feel the rally should have been called off. But please focus on the real issue of the farmers and desist from politicking. Whoever is guilty hang him but the focus of the debate should be on why the farmers are committing suicide,” Kejriwal told a news channel.

Still bitter, the family of Gajendra Singh, 41, who ended his life by hanging from a tree at an AAP rally on Wednesday, refused to accept Kejriwal’s apology.

“What will happen now after this apology? My brother has died. Kejriwal did not stop the rally for even two minutes after the incident,” the farmer’s sister Rekha told reporters at his native Nangal Jhamarwada village in Dausa district of Rajasthan.

Backing the conspiracy theory behind her brother’s tragic death, she said, “He might have been provoked… some conspiracy may be behind this.”

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had yesterday said AAP supporters “clapped and raised slogans” as Singh stood atop a tree with a towel fashioned as noose tied around his neck. The Delhi police’s FIR too alleged they “instigated” the farmer to commit suicide and thwarted their attempts to save him.

Gajendra’s uncle, Gopal Singh, the village Sarpanch, demanded a CBI probe into the incident.

“We have doubts about this incident and demand a CBI inquiry in the case. We have asked (state) minister Rajendra Rathore to take up this matter with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh,” Gopal Singh told PTI.

Referring to the turf war between Delhi police and his government over a parallel magisterial probe, Kejriwal said he was prepared to file his statement to the police, if needed.

The Delhi police had yesterday claimed a magistrate had no jurisdiction to investigate the case already being probed by the police. District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar had, however, said it was incumbent upon the police to cooperate in the inquiry as CrPC provided for the police informing the nearest executive magistrate in case of a suicide who will then hold a parallel probe.

“District Magistrate has the jurisdiction to investigate under the CrPC and the police does criminal investigation based on FIR…if police calls me I will go to file my statement,” Kejriwal said, striking a conciliatory note.

The Delhi Chief Minister also softened his party’s stand that the police personnel at the rally venue were mute spectators to the tragic incident and made no efforts to save Singh.

“We should not say that all policemen are bad. Should not indulge in blame game. I believe if police had the slightest inkling they would have tried to save him. They must have genuinely thought nothing of that sort was taking place,” he said.

The incident, Kejriwal said, caused him to lose sleep. “I am saying this happened in front of the Delhi CM. I couldn’t sleep the whole night,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan health minister Rajendra Rathore handed over a cheque for Rs 4 lakh to the family on the behalf of BJP.

Gajendra’s uncle told journalists that the family has demanded the status of a ‘Shaheed’ (martyr) for him and sought the scheme for providing relief to distressed farmers to be named after him.

The family also discussed with the state minister arrangements for providing good education to Gajendra’s children and a government job to one of his family members. Gopal Singh said the minister assured the distraught family that he would take up the issue with Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. Gajendra is survived by his wife and three children.

 (PTI)

AAP to pay Rs.10 lakh to farmer's family

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aap-kisan-rally-man-tree-suicide

New Delhi: Delhi’s ruling AAP announced on Thursday a compensation of Rs.10 lakh to the family of a Rajasthan farmer who killed himself at a party rally here a day earlier.

Making the announcement, Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh said that his party activists tried but failed to save Gajendra Singh after he hanged himself from a tree at the site.

He added that Delhi Police were very much to blame for the death on Wednesday because they failed to intervene despite repeated appeals from AAP leaders.

“The truth of what happened (yesterday) is captured on your cameras,” Sanjay Singh told the media. “The way the police acted was insensitive and incompetent.”

The AAP leader accused the central government, which controls Delhi Police, of hoisting a concocted case against the AAP over the death of the farmer.

The dramatic suicide took place at a rally in the heart of the capital called by the AAP to denounce the land ordinance.

(IANS)

Congress, BJP protest against farmer's suicide in Delhi

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farmers_suicide

New Delhi: A day after a farmer committed suicide at an AAP rally , Youth Congress workers today staged a demonstration at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence while BJP workers protested at Delhi Police headquarters demanding action against the rally organisers.

Scores of slogan shouting Youth Congress protesters, who were carrying placards demanding Kejriwal’s resignation , reached the Chief Minister’s Flagstaff Road residence at Civil Lines in North Delhi here around 10 AM.

After they were stopped by the police which had erected barricades, the protesters burnt an effigy of Kejriwal.

“They (AAP) should have stopped the rally and must have tried to save the farmer. The Chief Minister should resign from his post,” said one of the protesters.

The Delhi BJP, which had planned a protest march from ITO to Kejriwal’s residence around the same time, staged a protest at Delhi Police Headquarters in central Delhi where police used water canons to disperse them.

Delhi BJP Chief Satish Upadhyay alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the incident and demanded that the organisers of the rally be booked for murder.

BJP workers including Upadhyay and senior leader Jagdish Mukhi were detained by the police and taken to the nearby police station in a bus.

“It is not a suicide but a conspiracy. People there instigated him to commit suicide. He had joined AAP six months ago. Manish Sisodia had invited him here. One of the AAP MLAs tweeted a condolence message 20 minutes before his death,” Upadhyay alleged.

“You continued your rally for 45 minutes even after the death of the farmer. You did not stop your rally. This is a motivated murder and everybody responsible in this case should be booked under charges of murder,” he added.

(PTI)

 

Kejriwal relaunches Delhi anti-corruption helpline, gets over 12,000 calls in 24 hours

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Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: AAP government’s anti-corruption helpline, re-launched on Sunday in Delhi, has received 12,731 calls in 24 hours, with most of them wanting to know about the process of registering a graft case.

“Most of the calls received at helpline were made to inquire about how to register corruption case with the Anti Corruption Branch (ACB). The calls received so far are being analyzed to segregate between frivolous and real calls,” a senior official said on Monday.

On Sunday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had launched the 24×7 helpline, which can answer over 10,000 calls a day. The made-over re-launch comes after the service, during AAP’s previous stint, could respond to only 1,000 calls a day due to shortage of lines, the official said.

He also said genuine calls, after segregation, would be forwarded to Anti-Corruption Branch for further investigation.

“Some of the calls which have been segregated have already been sent to the ACB for further probe. Cases being forwarded to the ACB include complaints against Delhi Police, Municipal Corporation, Education Department, Transport Department, Jal Board, Delhi Fire etc,” he said.

The data of calls received will be made public on a regular basis for the convenience and information of the public, official said.

In order to strengthen the Anti Corruption Branch, government has increased its strength from 30 to 40 inspectors who work with 40 teams to investigate cases of corruption at any point of time.

Besides increasing its staff strength, Delhi Government has directed to increase the budget allocation to the anti-graft wing to Rs 15 crore from Rs 8 crore.

The official also said the Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC), an advisory body of the AAP government, will study global practices and define a vision for ACB.

The anti-corruption helpline was first launched during Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) 49-day stint in power after the 2013 Assembly elections, but was later discontinued. Reviving the helpline was one of the poll promises made by the party in 2015.

Last time around 1.2 lakh calls were made on the helpline, during 49 days of AAP’s rule.

(IANS)

AAP govt hikes Delhi water tariff 10%, Congress, BJP furious

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Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s decision to hike water tariff by 10 per cent in Delhi came under attack from both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress who accused the Arvind Kejriwal-led party of going back on its electoral promises.

While BJP state president Satish Upadhyay tersely observed that “conditions” to AAP’s promises are being revealed now, Congress chief Ajay Maken said the move would put “additional burden” on common people.

Upadhyay further termed the decision as a “stab on people’s back”.

“It is shocking that in today’s important meeting of Delhi Jal Board no proposal has come for laying new water supply line in any area of Delhi but instead the Board has come up with a proposal to buy 250 new tankers,” he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who Friday chaired the 121th Board Meeting of Delhi Jal Board, gave his nod to increase the water tariff with an immediate effect. However, people consuming water up to 20,000 litres will not be affected due to the DJB’s decision.

Maken said the government had “betrayed” the trust and confidence of the people of Delhi, who had believed in the “false promises” made by the AAP before the Delhi Assembly elections, “only to regret now”.

(PTI)

Assam youth beaten up in Delhi; hospitalised

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North East Racism

New Delhi: A 21-year-old student from Assam was allegedly beaten up by some residents of south Delhi’s Amar Colony, police said Monday.

According to police, the student was identified as Arbazuddin Ahmed. He was trying to break the lock of someone else’s house, mistaking it to be his own, apparently in an inebriated state.

Police said the youth hails from Guwahati in Assam and was living in Delhi for the last two years. He has suffered fractures in his limbs and jaw in the attack.

“The incident took place on March 5 when Arbazuddin came back home and tried to open the lock of a house which was not his. When the key didn’t work, he tried to break the door and get in,” a senior police official said.

“Meanwhile, hearing the sounds, the owner of the house and neighbours woke up. Thinking that he was a thief, they thrashed him,” he said.

Following a call from the locals around 1.30 a.m. that they had caught a thief, a police team was rushed to the spot and took him to the hospital.

“His address was found to be in the same locality. Both the houses were on the first floor and the youth probably went into the wrong house apparently in an inebriated condition,” police said.

(IANS)

HC issues notice to centre on poor condition of beggars' homes

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Representational Image

Representational Image

New Delhi: The Centre and the Delhi government have been sent a notice by the Delhi High Court on Wednesday on a PIL seeking basic facilities at beggars’ homes in the national capital.

A division bench comprising of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S. Endlaw have asked for a response from the central government, Delhi government and Delhi police by April 22.

The PIL (public interest litigation) was pending before the Supreme Court since 2000. The apex court had it transferred to the Delhi High Court this year, asking to take appropriate action as the case relates to beggars’ homes in Delhi.

The PIL had sought for basic human and fundamental rights for the beggars in the national capital and also to make arrangements for “clean shelter, proper food, clothing and other necessary basic amenities including proper medical aid facilities to all the beggar institutions”.

It also sought appointment of visiting committees for periodic visits to these institutions and increase in the number of beggars’ homes in Delhi.

The PIL further sought directions not to keep juvenile criminals/insane beggars in the company of other beggars housed in the institutions.

Filed by one Karnika Sawney, the plea sought direction to the Centre for providing vocational training that would provide meaningful work and provision of payment of minimum allowance to the inmates for the work done by them.

(IANS)

Delhi's AAP government slashes power tariff, announces free water

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File Photo

File Photo

New Delhi: Eleven days after forming government in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday slashed power tariff by half for lower slab users and announced free water up to 20,000 litres for every household from March 1.

“Families using power till 400 units per month will get it on half the price,” deputy CM Delhi Manish Sisodia announced in a press conference.

“Those families using more than 400 units per month will have to pay the entire bill,” Manish Sisodia added.

This will be effective from the 1st of March, Manish Sisodia said.

The reduction in power tariff will benefit 90% families in Delhi, Sisodia said.

Manish Sisodia also said that the Delhi government will provide 20,000 litres of free water per month to every household.

(Agencies)

Aam Aadmi Party government orders cut in power tariff, ban on demolitions

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arvind-kejriwal

New Delhi: On the first working day of his government, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet ordered steps to be taken towards the party’s poll promise of cheaper electricity and water and ordered a status quo on proposed demolitions of slums or residential premises.

Following the first cabinet meeting, the Delhi government directed the departments of finance and power to “immediately send their proposals for implementation of the election promises to slash electricity tariffs by 50 per cent till the audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of the private power companies (discoms) is completed, and also on the provision of lifeline water (up to 20,000 litres for every household per month)”.

In another decision, directions were issued to various government agencies to not carry out any demolitions of residential premises and slums. The government stated that it was taking a “holistic view” on the existing policy of carrying out demolitions of residential premises and jhuggis and that no agency must carry out any demolition until the policy review is completed.

The directions were issued to agencies including the New Delhi Municipal Council, East, South and North municipal corporations, Delhi Jal Board, environment and forests department and the revenue department. “In case any demolition has already been planned or are in the pipeline, the agency concerned shall seek prior approval of the urban development minister,” the government directed. The urban development portfolio has been assigned to deputy CM Manish Sisodia.

The government, however, clarified that its order shall not apply to action taken in pursuance to a court order.

The Delhi government also announced that the cabinet had decided to recommend the first session of the newly elected Delhi Assembly on February 23 and 24 for the swearing-in of MLAs and election of the speaker and his deputy.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s home minister, Jitender Singh Tomar, said he would soon begin work with the Home Guard to ensure the AAP promise of setting up the Mahila Suraksha Dal — a women’s security force made up of a 10,000 home guards who currently work as help at the residence of senior officers and ministers.

AAP will also deploy 5,000 bus marshals to prevent and deter crime on public transport. A senior official said that posting of home guards on buses is likely to be discussed in the subsequent meetings with the minister.

Delhi has a total of 5,500 home guards and approximately 2,500 are on extension beyond five years. Home Guards chief J K Sharma said the department will need to recruit home personnel if they need to be deployed for women’s security. “In February next year around 25,00 home guards will be due for retirement,” he said.

(Agencies)

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