Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal today said that if the Centre has any problem with the appointment of inquiry commission to probe alleged irregularities in DDCA, it should go to court and reiterated that the AAP government will not step back from its decision.
"We will not back off our decision. If MHA has any problem with Delhi government's notification to appoint Commission of Inquiry to probe alleged irregularities in DDCA, it may approach High Court," the Delhi Chief Minister said here.
Kejriwal said that an elected government of Delhi has power to constitute Commission of Inquiry and Centre can not declare the probe panel "null and void".
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Kejriwal's remark comes a few days after Lt Governor Najeeb Jung sought Centre's intervention, questioning the legality of appointment of inquiry panel.
"In a communication to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the LG has stated that the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 empowers only the Centre and state governments to appoint a commission of inquiry.
"Since, Delhi is a Union Territory, a commission of inquiry may be ordered only with the concurrence of the Centre, through the LG," sources had said.
Yesterday, Kejriwal claimed that action amounts to "unjustified interference" as the inquiry is "perfectly" legal and Union Minister Arun Jaitley should cooperate with the inquiry commission and stop "misusing" the LG office.
"We are not scared when all the agencies under them including police CBI, DRI are after us, why are they scared with one commission of enquiry," he had said.
Delhi government had earlier this week appointed a Commission of Inquiry, headed by former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium, to probe alleged corruption in Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) between 1992 and 2015, and asked it to submit its report within three months.
The government had said that the one-member Commission of Inquiry will identify any acts of omission and commission by DDCA and its office-bearers during the period between January 1, 1992 and November 30, 2015 and fix responsibility.
The state cricket body had been headed by Jaitley for around 13 years from 1999 to 2013.
"The state in which villages are deprived of basic
drinking water could never be tagged as 'developed'", he said while taking a dig at Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for his repeated claim on development of Punjab in the last nine years.
"I have not seen such a bad situation in my entire life," Kejriwal said after listening to plight of villagers living in villages of the border.
"Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal claims of development, this is the development he has brought? he quipped.
Among others who addressed the villagers include, State Convener of AAP, Sucha Singh Chhotepur and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann.
Kejriwal assured government job to the next of kin of Bheem Tank's family who was murdered last year.
The state in past had experienced many hardships and reverses, but the government reacted with silence or with mere sympathy but never tried to listen to the grievances of the sufferer, he alleged.
"The family of Tank showed a picture in which something is written in blood on Tank's shoe, which itself was a biggest proof of the incident but Police was sitting quiet, no action was taken", he alleged.
Referring to Tank's murder, Kejriwal said "many such incidents are occurring and will continue to take place if public would not wake up and it is time to seek justice and fight for your rights and vote the deserving candidate.
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At Faridkot, Kejriwal "promised" corruption and drug free Punjab if AAP is voted to power in 2017 assembly polls.
Describing Parkash Singh Badal government as "anti-farmer", he alleged that due to "bad" policies and programmes of the SAD-BJP alliance government farmers are committing suicides.
Kejriwal said AAP would soon announce the name of its Chief Ministerial candidate and will contest all the 117 assembly seats in Punjab.
The election manifesto of AAP would be have people friendly policies, he said adding "We will end corruption, abolish Inspector Raj." .
Kejriwal also visited families of two drug affected victims.
"We will launch drug de-addiction campaign in the state," he said.
At few places, he was greeted with black flags by activists of BJP.
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At Abohar, while taking serious note of the acute
financial crisis of farmers, who were "forced" to take extreme step of suicide in the recent past, Kejriwal today wrote a letter to Parkash Singh Badal demanding moratorium on recovery of bank loan from farmers and to give them some relief.
"During my visit to Punjab, I met many families of farmers and shocked to know about their poor plight. I noticed that almost all families are living with heavy debt and unable to pay back the loan, they had taken for agriculture purpose, due to damaged crop", Kejriwal wrote in the letter.
Banks are putting pressure on the farmers for recovery and under "pressure" some of them have already "committed" suicide, Kejriwal said claiming that he visited one such village, where more than 50 farmers have committed suicide due to financial debt.
"I humbly request you to postpone the recovery of loans from farmers for next year, so that next government may take any policy decision on the issue", he demanded.
Kejriwal who visited Pakan village to meet the families of farmers, who committed suicide due to heavy debt, alleged that that most of the families were "kidnapped" last night, so that they could not meet him (Kejriwal).
"It was more surprising that doors of many of the households were open, but nobody was inside, giving enough indication of the use of 'force' to make them disappear," he said.
"I am surprised to witness the fear of Aam Admi Party (AAP) in state government, which forced them to stoop so low", Kejriwal said, adding that if by his visiting the village, "forced" SAD to distribute compensation cheques to farmers, he would like to visit Punjab quite frequently.
"My on-going visit of Punjab has given me enough knowledge of the core issues and grievances of people of Punjab, which will be taken care of while making the party manifesto", Kejriwal added.
