New Delhi: The Delhi BJP on Tuesday accused Chief Minister Atishi and her party colleagues of using government vehicles for personal campaign even as the Kalkaji District Election Officer (DEO) got an FIR registered for misuse of a PWD van for carrying the CM’s posters.
Addressing a press conference, South Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri alleged that the BJP’s district vice-president in Kalkaji detected a van on January 7 delivering posters and flags of CM Atishi at her office in Govindpuri Gali number 30.
“The AAP, which claims to be an honest party, is indulging in such gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct. There is a huge difference in their words and practice,” said Bidhuri, claiming that the area where the incident took place falls in his parliamentary constituency.
The Govindpuri incident took place after the Model Code of Conduct kicked in with announcement of polls on January 7, he said.
In her defence, CM Atishi denied any wrongdoing and alleged there was pressure on lower-level election officials to act against the AAP, while questions were also being raised on who the police are favouring.
“When we give a complaint against the BJP’s New Delhi candidate Parvesh Verma distributing freebies no action is taken, saying an enquiry is underway. But in my case, an FIR has been registered even without an enquiry,” she told reporters after filing her nomination papers.
Earlier, Bidhuri said, “The PWD van was caught red-handed by BJP district vice-president K.S. Duggal who brought the matter to the notice of the senior leader and a complaint was filed before the DEO.”
“A complaint has been filed against Atishi, and she should take moral responsibility and quit politics and withdraw from the Assembly election contest in Kalkaji constituency,” he said.
“The AAP levels false allegations against BJP leaders which have not been proven correct. But we ensure that every complaint filed by the BJP reaches its logical conclusion,” he said.
Sanket Gupta, a member of the BJP’s legal cell, said the crime was grave as Atishi is a Chief Minister.
“The incident is a reflection of the AAP’s double standards. Such a grave violation of the MCC was done by Atishi even before filing her nomination papers,” he said.
“The ECI says that government transport including official aircraft, vehicles and machinery, including personnel, shall not be used for the furtherance of the interest of the party in power,” he said.
After an enquiry, the Kalkaji SHO has booked PWD engineer Sanjay Kumar. “Atishi’s name will also be included in the FIR,” he said.
“We request the ECI to take immediate action against such misuse of official machinery in all parts of Delhi,” he said.
–IANS