Subsidies on power, water, bus fare to stay, says Delhi LG; AAP calls it Kejriwal's victory
New Delhi (PTI): Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Saturday said electricity, water and bus fare subsidies will continue in Delhi as these schemes do not belong to any party and asked people not to pay attention to statements from "vested political interests" that the schemes will be stopped as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is in jail.
Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed that Saxena's statement was a victory for the AAP chief and stressed that till Kejriwal is the chief minister of Delhi, all public works will be carried out and the subsidy schemes will continue.
In a press statement issued by Raj Niwas here, the LG said rumours were being propagated that the central government and the lieutenant governor would stop the subsidy schemes.
"The schemes are part of the budget approved by the Government of India and Lt Governor, and these do not belong to an individual or a political party. Therefore, the question of a scheme getting affected does not arise just because an individual is in jail," the LG said.
The statement comes in the backdrop of the Aam Aadmi Party alleging that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested as part of a conspiracy to stop such schemes introduced by his government in Delhi.
Kejriwal is in judicial custody till April 15 after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to now scrapped excise policy of his government. The BJP has been demanding Kejriwal's resignation.
Referring to LG's statement, Bharadwaj said, "It is a significant victory for CM Kejriwal that even while in jail he has compelled the LG to say that work and free schemes will continue."
Saxena has taken serious note of "patently false and deliberately misleading" statements by members of a particular political party and its ministers that the schemes and subsidies related to "free" electricity, water and bus rides for women will be stopped since Chief Minister Kejriwal is in jail, the statement said.
Bharadwaj said that those who used to say that they would not allow the Kejriwal government to be run from jail have "admitted defeat" that it will run from jail and its works will continue.
"Arvind Kejriwal had promised Delhi people that he will not let any work be stopped whether he is in jail or out of it," he said in a Delhi government statement.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader alleged that Saxena "always tried to obstruct the work of the people of Delhi" through his "favourite officers".
Now, the LG is also saying that the work and schemes of the people will continue in Delhi, instead of stopping the work, he said.
The LG's statement said that he has assured the people of Delhi that none of the subsidy schemes benefitting the poor would be discontinued.
He appealed to them to not pay heed to statements and rumours being spread by "vested political interests".
Saxena underlined that these schemes are paid for by the consolidated fund of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD) and not from the account of any individual or political party.
These schemes are funded by the people of Delhi themselves who contribute to the NCTD's consolidated fund by way of taxes, the statement added.
Saxena reiterated that any scheme especially duly approved by the Government of India and the Lt Governor himself before being introduced and passed by the Delhi Legislative Assembly does not get affected because an individual is in jail under judicial custody as per the due process of law.
Bharadwaj said in a post on X, "The ideology which used to call free water and free electricity as 'revadi' is today promising the people of Delhi that no one can stop Arvind Kejriwal's schemes… People of Delhi, this is the power of your son, Arvind Kejriwal. This is the blessing of the people of Delhi to Kejriwal."
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Several Gurugram schools receive hoax bomb threats
Gurugram (PTI): Several Gurugram schools received another hoax bomb threat emails on Wednesday morning, prompting police to launch searches on the premises.
Police said the email was sent by the 'Khalistan National Army', with threats issued to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to declare April 29 as the "40th Khalistan Declaration Day". It also threatened to bomb the Red Fort in Delhi.
Police said it was a hoax as no suspicious items were found after an intensive search.
Several schools, including Shri Ram, Amity, and the HDFC school, received threatening emails at 8.33 am, when classes had already begun, police said.
The school administrations became aware of the threats around 9 am and immediately informed the police, a senior police officer said.
The schools immediately implemented emergency protocols, with many declaring a holiday and asking parents to take their children home safely, the officer said.
A large number of anxious parents gathered outside the schools, as police and bomb squad teams reached the spots and started checks.
"Around 10 schools have approached the police from morning until now over bomb threats. Police teams are alert, and searches are underway on all the premises", the officer said.
As soon as the information about this email was received, police in Gurugram and Delhi swung into action and started investigation.
Schools immediately implemented emergency protocols upon receiving the mail. Many schools declared a holiday and sent messages to parents, asking them to take their children home. Large crowds of parents gathered outside the schools.
The schools were sanitised by sending a bomb disposal squad as well as a dog squad.
A senior police officer said that police teams thoroughly searched the school premises, classrooms, buildings, and surrounding areas. No suspicious objects or explosive materials were found during the investigation.
"Police teams are seriously investigating the entire matter. Cyber experts are being consulted to determine the authenticity of the email, its source, and the identity of the sender", added the officer.
This is the third time since January that schools have received fake bomb threats.
In March, at least a dozen schools in the city received bomb threat emails, which later turned out to be hoaxes.
Similarly, on January 28, as many as 13 schools received hoax bomb threats via email, forcing authorities to evacuate campuses and suspend classes.
Last month, police arrested a Bangladeshi national whose email ID was allegedly used to make a bomb threat for some payment.
