The political slugfest over the alleged Rs 45 crore expenditure on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence intensified on Wednesday, with the BJP on Thursday alleged that expenditure under various heads was kept below Rs 10 crore to bypass the lieutenant governor’s scrutiny.
Meanwhile, Delhi BJP staged a protest near Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s house for the second consecutive day, demanding his resignation. Carrying a model of a mansion, the protesters took out a march from Chandgiram Akhara on Ring Road towards the Delhi chief minister’s residence.
According to the Delhi government general financial rules, files pertaining to any project worth Rs 10 crore and above are required to be sent to the lieutenant governor while a department head or minister has the power to approve any expenditure below it, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi told a press conference. At various stages of the reconstruction of Kejriwal’s bungalow, expenditure on multiple heads was above Rs 9 crore but deliberately kept below Rs 10 crore, he alleged.
“The expenditure on the chief minister’s camp office was Rs 9.99 crore,” Trivedi said and asked, “From where have you acquired the capacity of calculating an exact amount of Rs 9.99 crore...A smart calculation.” “This is clearly a matter of blatant corruption.... This clearly unmasks the Aam Aadmi Party’s corruption,” he charged.
Kejriwal, reacting for the first time over the issue, shared a video on his tweeter handle saying “Delhi public’s answer to the BJP....What does Delhi public say on the row over Rs 45 crore spent on Kejriwal’s bungalow.” The AAP will stage a massive protest on Friday against the ‘country’s ruler’ for “wastage” of taxpayers money, senior party leader Raghav Chadha said.
The BJP spokesperson said the way the total expenditure was broken up raises “deep suspicion”. For the decoration of Kejriwal’s residence, a consultant was appointed for Rs 1 crore, Trivedi claimed.
“AAP has crossed all the limits.... All the frauds and lies of Kejriwal have been unveiled. Be it curtains, tiles, carpets, fans, he has ensured luxury in everything. He needs air only from the fans worth lakhs of rupees and a palace worth crores of rupees,” the BJP spokesperson charged.
When asked what kind of a probe the BJP would want to have in the matter, Trivedi said the issue has three aspects -- legal, political and moral. “We want and we will look carefully and vigilantly at their reactions and then accordingly and appropriately the government and its agencies will take action...,” he added.
The BJP protesters started a march from Chandagi Ram AKhara, where a replica of a mansion was kept symbolising renovated “bungalow” of the Chief Minister and a party worker sitting in front of it wearing a mask of Kejriwal.
