The Delhi assembly premises are witnessing a unique night, with both the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and Opposition BJP on overnight vigils accusing each other of corruption.
AAP legislators have alleged that Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had pressurised his employees to exchange demonetised notes worth Rs 1,400 crore in 2016 when he was Khadi and Village Industries Commission Chairman.
BJP MLAs are demanding the sacking of ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain over alleged corruption.
Soon after AAP accused the Delhi LG of laundering money during demonetisation, BJP in a press conference hit back, saying it's a deflection to avoid answers on the alleged corruption in the liquor policy and construction of Delhi schools.
VK Saxena had recently recommended a CBI probe into alleged corruption in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. The AAP had accused him of "interfering" in the city government's work.
The AAP MLAs have squatted near the Mahatma Gandhi statue, while BJP MLAs started their sit-in near the statues of Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru and Sukhdev inside the assembly premises.
AAP MLAs were seen singing songs, raising slogans and holding placards demanding action against the LG. They say PM Modi was aware of the alleged corruption by the LG, but still appointed him to the post.
The cashiers working at KVIC had written to the Prime Minister's office clearly stating that Mr Saxena has pressurised them into exchanging demonetised notes worth crores, they alleged.
In a statement by the BJP, Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said the party MLAs have been forced to sit on the dharna since they were not heard in the assembly.
All eight MLAs of the BJP were not part of the proceedings of the Delhi Assembly's special session on Monday and Friday as they were marshalled out of the House.
The BJP also came out in VK Saxena's defence and said AAP leaders are levelling corruption allegations against him "to take revenge".
Based on the LG's recommendations, the CBI had registered an FIR in connection with the alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi government's Excise Policy 2021-22.
The agency also raided the residence of Mr Sisodia, who also holds the excise portfolio and is an accused in the case.
Last week, VK Saxena sought a report from the Chief Secretary over a delay of more than two-and-a-half years in acting on a Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) report on an inquiry into the construction of additional classrooms in Delhi government schools.
The Delhi government is likely to conduct a trial for artificial rain in May as part of its efforts to tackle air pollution, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Thursday.
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to relax the ban imposed on the manufacture, storage and sale on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR noting air pollution levels had remained alarming for a considerable time.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced in the assembly on Wednesday that the Delhi government will introduce a new policy for issuing Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates to vehicles from other states, in a bid to tackle air pollution.
Children exposed to higher levels of air pollution in early and mid-childhood may have weaker connections between key brain regions that can highly impact their thinking and controlling capacity, according to a study.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Sirsa has accused Arvind Kejriwal's AAP - in power before the BJP won the February election - of allowing more than 1.08 lakh vehicles to run on city roads despite each emitting high levels of carbon monoxide.
................................ Advertisement ................................
Opinion | Why Indians Have Just Given Up On Air Pollution CrisisTanushree Ganguly
Friday December 20, 2024While some may argue that people in Delhi are now more aware of air pollution than they were a decade back, my rebuttal would be that awareness does not mean that people are concerned.
Opinion | You Must Outrage Over Filthy Air More Than Once A YearJyoti Pande Lavakare
Tuesday December 10, 2024Delhi welcomed us with monsoon rains and mangos. We were home. Fast forward a couple of years, in the winter of 2012, I found myself in denial about something other parents, mostly expats, were calling toxic air.
Opinion | Delhi's Air Pollution Situation Is Like A Bad MarriageNishtha Gautam
Friday November 22, 2024On a good day, such as today, the AQI reading in Delhi is 407. We are jubilant at the sickly sunshine trickling through the slightly dissipated smog. At least its not 1600.
दिवाली... पराली... सियासी जुगाली!Ashwini kumar
Monday November 18, 2024दिल्ली-एनसीआर में प्रदूषण का समाधान तो आज तक मिला नहीं. हर साल चिंतित होकर हम-आप सांसों की तकलीफ के साथ-साथ दिल और ब्लड प्रेशर के मरीज भी क्यों बनें?
घर में कैद बुजुर्ग और हांफते लोग, दिल्ली की सांसों में घुला ये कैसा रोग?Nidhi Kulpati
Friday November 08, 2024हमारी हवा जहरीली हो रही है. गुरुवार की शाम को जब मैं इस मुद्दे पर लिखने बैठी तो AQI लगातार 400 पार जाकर दम घोंट रहा था. बहुत लोगों को यह मामला बोरिंग लगे, लेकिन जब आप अपने साथ काम करने वालों को खांसते-हांफते देखते-सुनते हैं, तो चिंता होने लगती है. सुबह उठते ही दरवाजे खिड़कियां खोलने के लिए डॉक्टर मना कर रहे हैं. बड़े बुजुर्गों के लिए तो मॉर्निंग वॉक बाहर की दुनिया से सीधे संपर्क का ज़रिया है, लेकिन डॉक्टर इसकी भी मनाही कर रहे हैं.