Kejriwal reposts Modi's old tweet to target him over internal feud in CBI
New Delhi, Oct 24: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday sought to corner the prime minister over CBI's internal feud, retweeting Narendra Modi's 2013 tweet in which he had slammed the then UPA government for allegedly undermining the intelligence system of the country.
The government Wednesday sent CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana on leave as the two officers were involved in a spat between them.
In a series of tweets, Kejriwal questioned the Modi government's authority to send the CBI director on leave and wondered if the move was related with the Rafale deal.
Kejriwal retweeted Modi's June 5, 2013 tweet in which he had said it was "Unfortunate that in its quest to target political opponents, Centre is undermining intelligence systems with CBI questioning IB officials."
The Congress-led UPA was in power in 2013.
The prime minister-led Appointments Committee Tuesday night gave charge of the director to Joint Director M Nageswara Rao with immediate effect, a government order said.
Kejriwal sought to know from the government reasons behind Verma's removal and questioned if it was trying to "hide" anything.
"What are the reasons for sending CBI director on leave? Under which law did the Modi govt get the authority to initiate action against the chief of an investigating agency appointed as per the Lokpal Act? What is Modi govt trying to hide?" he said in one of his tweets.
In another tweet, he insinuated that the move may be "co-related" the to Rafale deal that has been questioned by the Opposition parties as a "scam".
"Is there a co-relation between (sic) Rafale deal and removal of Alok Verma? Was Alok Verma about to start investigations into Rafale, which could become problem for Modi ji? (sic)" he tweeted.
Later, addressing a gathering at an event in Tri Nagar area, Kejriwal alleged, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has suspended the CBI director at 3 am. Do you know this? Why? I tell you that the Modi government is buying one Rafale fighter jet with a cost of Rs 1,500 crore instead of its original cost of Rs 546 crore. They are doing a scam of Rs 36,000 crore in buying 36 Rafale jets.
"When the CBI director (Alok Verma), who is an honest person, started investigation in the case, he was suddenly transferred at 3 am."
He also alleged, "The CBI director was to register a case (in connection with procurement of Rafale fighter jets) next day. He was transferred...at 3 am."
Unfortunate that in its quest to target political opponents, Centre is undermining intelligence systems with CBI questioning IB officials.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 5, 2013
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
