Page 17 - Aap

AAP questions BJP's 'silence' on tree felling in Ridge area

The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday questioned the BJP's silence over the "illegal" felling of trees in the ridge area, and said the party's stand on Delhi's pollution is just "politics". Addressing a press conference, AAP senior leader Jasmine Shah said that since the issue has surfaced, the BJP and Lt Governor VK Saxena have maintained "silence" over it. "BJP is the first to do politics over the issue of pollution and shed crocodile tears over it. They have stalled many works of the Delhi government over the pollution issue. Why are they silent?" he said. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is alleged to have cut 1,100 trees without due permission. The Supreme Court, hearing a case related to the matter, has directed the Delhi government and the civic agencies to discuss comprehensive measures to enhance the city's green cover. Shah also asked if officers of the DDA and the forest department were under pressure from their higher-ups over the matter. He claimed that the officials w

Delhi Govt to grow the city's green cover with plantation drive on July 11

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday said that two crore saplings were planted in the city in the last four years, against a target of five years set by the government. The tree plantation drive will be expanded with planting of 64 lakh more saplings of various species in the next one year, Rai said during a press conference here. The minister said the Delhi government and its various agencies will kick-start the initiative, which commences with the onset of the monsoon, from Narela on July 11. He emphasised the importance of residents' cooperation in supporting the Delhi government's efforts to increase the city's green cover and said that as part of this campaign, seven lakh saplings will be distributed among citizens free of cost. The first phase of the tree plantation campaign will cover 30 assembly constituencies and will run until August 9, Rai said. During this period, awareness will be raised among the public and free saplings will be distributed, he added. Rai

Delhi HC asks CBI to answer Kejriwal's plea against arrest in excise scam

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the CBI to respond to a plea by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest in a corruption case related to the excise policy 'scam'. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and asked it to file its reply within seven days. The high court said Kejriwal's counsel may file rejoinder, if any, within two days thereafter. It listed the matter for arguments on July 17. Besides his arrest, the AAP national convener has also challenged the trial court's June 26 and June 29 orders by which he was remanded to three-day CBI custody and judicial custody till July 12 respectively. Kejriwal, 55, was arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Tihar Jail, where he was in judicial custody in a connected money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Punjab limits retailers to 1,000 cases of IMFL monthly, manufacturers panic

Punjab's Indian Made Foreign Liquor market typically moves around one million cases, retailers can now only purchase 1,000 cases per month

Delhi Cabinet to begin drafting note for Rs 1,000 monthly aid for women

Delhi govt FY25 Budget aims to provide Rs 1,000 in monthly assistance for eligible women aged above 18. Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh have drafted similar schemes

BJP blames AAP for Delhi's waterlogging woes, AAP faults central govt

The BJP on Monday blamed the AAP government for waterlogging woes in Delhi after the rains last week and warned the situation could recur as around 300 drain pumps were still not functioning. The meteorological department has issued an "orange" alert for rains in Delhi for the next two days. Addressing a press conference, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva alleged the primary reason for the flooding on June 28 was the Arvind Kejriwal government's "failure" to operate water drainage pumps. "If it rains again, Delhi will flood again," he claimed and added that on June 28, out of Delhi's 696 permanent water drainage pumps, 400 were not working and "even now almost 300 are not operational". The ruling AAP in Delhi claimed in a statement that the maximum flooding occurred in areas of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) which is under the BJP-led central government. "The BJP is pointing fingers at the Delhi government to hide from the reality of the flooding in the homes of MPs, .

Agencies misleading SC, INDIA bloc to protest against it: Sanjay Singh

The Aam Aadmi Party has accused central investigative agencies of "misleading" the Supreme Court, and said opposition INDIA bloc will protest against it on the Parliament premises on Monday. Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said that despite a trial court granting bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sought the High Court's intervention and secured a stay on the bail. And later when Kejriwal seemed set to receive bail from the Supreme Court, the central government got him arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), he claimed. This is a "blatant misuse of investigating agencies", he said, adding both ED and CBI lack evidence against Arvind Kejriwal and his former deputy Manish Sisodia. There was no immediate reaction from any of the investigative agencies. Singh said the INDIA bloc plans to protest against agencies in Parliament on Monday. "When Manish Sisod

SC to hear AAP MLA Jaswant Singh's plea against arrest in ED case on July 1

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear AAP MLA Jaswant Singh Gajjan Majra's plea challenging his arrest and remand by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering probe linked to a bank fraud case on Monday. A vacation bench of Justice CT Ravikumar and Justice Manoj Misra is likely to hear the matter. The top court had earlier refused to grant interim bail to the Punjab MLA to campaign for the Lok Sabha polls. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had also dismissed a plea by the legislator challenging his arrest, observing that there was no illegality. In May 2023, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted raids on premises linked to Gajjan Majra in connection with an alleged Rs 40 crore bank fraud. In September 2022, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on several premises linked to him as part of a money-laundering probe in connection with the alleged bank loan fraud. The ED team had seized Rs 32 lakh in cash, some mobile phones and hard drives.

Swati Maliwal assault case: Delhi HC to rule on Bibhav Kumar's plea Monday

The bench of Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma after hearing the arguments at length, reserved the order on maintainability ground

AAP to hold nationwide protest on Jun 29 against CM Kejriwal's arrest

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will hold a protest across the country on June 29 against the arrest of party national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the CBI. A meeting of senior AAP leaders at its headquarters here decided to take to the streets and expand the protests by the party over Kejriwal's arrest in the whole country, said a party statement. "The AAP workers across the country will hold massive dharna' against the BJP for misuse of investigation agencies and Arvind Kejriwal's arrest on Saturday," AAP national general secretary (organisation) Sandeep Pathak. When the BJP felt that Kejriwal was going to get bail from the Supreme Court, they put the CBI forward to stop him. The BJP wants to keep him in jail at any cost so that he stays away from the elections and the AAP is finished, Pathak charged. The AAP is confident that all the people of Delhi stand with Chief Minister Kejriwal and will support the party's fight against this injustice, he said. Kejriwal

AAP MPs boycott President's address to House over arrest of CM Kejriwal

AAP MPs boycotted President Droupadi Murmu's address to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Thursday to protest against the arrest of party convenor Arvind Kejriwal. Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal was on Wednesday arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the alleged excise policy scam being probed by it. MPs of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) boycotted the President's address and claimed it was written by the Central government, while maintaining that they had full respect for her. They protested against Kejriwal's arrest outside the Parliament and alleged it "was a gross misuse of investigation agencies". They held placards that read 'ED, CBI ka durupyog bandh karo' (stop the misuse of ED, CBI), 'Taanshahi nahi chalegi' (dictatorship will not be allowed), 'Kejriwal ko riha karo' (free Kejriwal), and raised slogans such as 'PM Jawab do' (answer us, PM). "The protest is against dictatorship. This protest is to protect the Constitution and democracy. T

Appeal to INDIA bloc to raise issue of Kejriwal's arrest in Parliament: AAP

AAP leader Sanjay Singh on Wednesday said he will talk to INDIA bloc leaders over Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest and request them to raise the issue in Parliament as he accused the BJP-led Centre of misusing probe agencies to target opposition parties. Addressing a press conference here, Singh alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is acting against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with ill-will and political malice. The AAP leader said he will talk to leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) over Kejriwal's arrest by the CBI in a corruption case linked to the alleged Delhi excise scam and request them to raise the issue in Parliament. "I appeal to the INDIA bloc parties to raise the issue related to Kejriwal's arrest in Parliament. We are talking to other opposition parties. I have also talked to Uddhav Thackeray. I will talk to Congress leaders. It is a misuse of probe agencies. All the opposition parties will be requested to

SC asks Delhi HC to rule on Satyendar Jain's bail plea in ED case on July 9

The Supreme Court asked the Delhi High Court on Tuesday to decide the bail plea of jailed former AAP minister Satyendar Jain in a money laundering case. A bench of Justices Manoj Misra and S V N Bhatti said bail matters should not be unnecessarily adjourned and asked the high court to decide Jain's plea on the next hearing date. Jain approached the top court against the six-week adjournment granted on his bail plea by the high court. He also contended that a similar issue was pending before the top court and therefore, his plea be tagged with it. On May 28, the high court sought the response of the Enforcement Directorate and asked it to file a status report on the matter. The court also called for the nominal roll of Jain from prison and listed the matter for further hearing on July 9. The ED arrested Jain on May 30, 2022, in the money laundering case based on a CBI FIR lodged against him in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He was granted regular bail by a trial cou

Fast impacting Atishi's health, doctors advise hospitalisation: AAP

Delhi Water minister Atishi's health condition has deteriorated on the fourth day of her indefinite fast on Monday and doctors have advised her to be admitted to a hospital, the AAP said. Atishi has, however, refused to be treated at a hospital, despite adverse health effects until Haryana released the "rightful share of Delhi's water". "My blood pressure and sugar levels are dropping and my weight has gone down. Ketone level is very high which can have harmful effects in the long run. No matter how much my body suffers, I will continue the fast till Haryana releases water," she said at the site of hunger strike at Jungpura's Bhogal. In a statement, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that Atishi's weight and blood pressure is decreasing rapidly, which doctors from LNJP Hospital said was "dangerous". "Water Minister Atishi's weight is also decreasing unexpectedly. Before sitting on hunger strike on 21st June, her weight was 65.8 kg which has come down to 63.6 kg on the fourth day of the

Delhi ministers seek urgent action on water crisis in letter to PM Modi

Delhi cabinet ministers have written a letter to Prime Narendra Modi and urged him to resolve the water crisis in the national capital on a priority basis, Environment minister Gopal Rai said on Monday. Addressing a press conference, Delhi cabinet ministers said Atishi's indefinite fast has entered the fourth day and her health is deteriorating. The ministers held a meeting at the hunger strike site in Jangpura's Bhogal, where they decided to write a letter to the prime minister seeking a solution to the issue. "We also invite Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena, all officers to Wazirabad, Bawana to see the readings of flow metres and see the water levels of the river there. Data is available for the water released by Haryana and they can see for themselves how the water has reduced," he said. Asserting that Delhi should get its due share of water, the minister announced that in the evening a candle light march will be carried out in support of Atishi's indefinite fast.

Water crisis: L-G assures AAP delegation of commitment to resolving issue

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena assured an AAP delegation that met him here on Sunday over the water crisis in the city that he will try to resolve the issue. During the meeting, the 10-member delegation highlighted that Delhi has been receiving 113 million gallons per day (MGD) less water than what it is entitled to, a statement said. The delegation noted that Delhi's population increased from 1.1 crore in 1994 to three crore now while the amount of water it has been receiving remained the same and stressed for urgent action over the matter, it said. The L-G assured the delegation of his commitment to resolving the issue and making every effort to ensure Delhi receives its fair share of water from Haryana, it said. The delegation comprised 10 prominent AAP members, including Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and N D Gupta, General Secretary Pankaj Gupta, Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, and MLAs Dilip Pandey, Somnath Bharti, Rajesh Gupta and Rituraj Jha. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay

Delhi water crisis: AAP's 10-member delegation meets with L-G Saxena

A delegation of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) met Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Sunday over the water crisis in the national capital and said they were assured that the matter would be taken up with the Haryana government. Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP MP Sanjay Singh and AAP MLA Somnath Bharti were among the 10-member delegation that met Saxena. "The monsoon is expected around June 28. The rains have already started in Shimla and Himachal Pradesh. It is a matter of one week. We have requested him to get Delhi water for this one week," Bharadwaj told reporters after the meeting. Bharadwaj said Saxena has assured them of talking to the Haryana government regarding the matter.

Haryana closed barrage gates that releases water to Delhi: Atishi

Delhi Water Minister Atishi on Sunday said the Haryana government has closed all gates of Hathnikund Barrage that is used to release water for Delhi, and added that she will continue her indefinite hunger strike over it. Atishi's indefinite hunger strike to demand water for Delhi, which is under the grip of a severe water crisis and scorching heat, entered the third day here. In a video message on X, she said, "I have been on a hunger strike to get Delhi's share of water. Haryana government is releasing 100 MGD water less which is depriving nearly 28 lakh people of Delhi of water. Some journalists have said that the Hathnikund Barrage is full of water but Haryana government has shut all gates to stop that water from reaching the national capital." The minister urged the Haryana government to release water for Delhi. "My hunger strike will continue till Delhi gets its rightful share of water," she added. Delhi is dependent on Uttar Pradesh and Haryana for the supply of drinking ...

L-G failed to acknowledge water shortage in Delhi due to Haryana: Bharadwaj

Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Saturday hit back at Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena for holding the AAP government responsible for the city's water crisis, claiming he failed to acknowledge that the shortage was mainly due to BJP-ruled Haryana blocking 100 MGD of water. Bharadwaj also alleged that Saxena was functioning like a "BJP L-G" and not the L-G of Delhi. The Delhi urban development minister, however, agreed with Saxena that governance needs a consistent endeavour to deliver for the people by building consensus. "But we are unable to understand why the L-G does not hold the BJP-led Haryana government to the same yardstick despite being fully aware that the Haryana government has been blocking over 100 MGD of Delhi's rightful share of water for the past many days," he said in a statement. As a constitutional functionary, blaming the ruling party in Delhi of playing politics while "turning a blind eye" to the hard facts of falling water supply to the city by the BJP-led ..

Swati Maliwal case: Court extends Bibhav Kumar's custody till July 6

A court here on Saturday extended till July 6 the judicial custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar. Kumar is accused of assaulting AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on May 13 at the chief minister's official residence. Kumar was produced through video conferencing before Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal who extended his judicial custody till July 6. Kumar was arrested on May 18. He was sent to police custody for five days the same day by a magisterial court, which observed that his anticipatory bail plea had become infructuous because of his arrest. On May 24, he was sent to four days judicial custody, following which he was again remanded in police custody for three days. An FIR was registered against Kumar on May 16 under various Indian Penal Code provisions, including those related to criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force on a woman with the intent to disrobe and attempt to commit culpable homicide.