Latest news with #SaurabhBhardwaj
Economic Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
EC should respond to Rahul Gandhi with facts, not planted news: AAP's Saurabh Bhardwaj
Synopsis Following Rahul Gandhi's claims of a 'choreographed' 2024 election, the Election Commission demanded a declaration or apology. Saurabh Bhardwaj of AAP has now challenged the poll body. He questioned the CEC's conduct and urged a factual response to Gandhi's vote theft allegations. Bhardwaj referenced past concerns about voter list manipulation. He criticized Gandhi for not addressing the issue earlier. ANI EC should respond to Rahul Gandhi with facts, not planted news: AAP's Saurabh Bhardwaj New Delhi: After the Election Commission asked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to either sign a declaration or apologise for his "absurd" allegations, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bhardwaj said the poll body should respond with facts. Speaking to ANI, the AAP leader accused the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of "planting news" based on sources. "...Gyanesh Kumar ji should be ashamed. Can the Election Commission plant news quoting sources? If he has any self-respect left, then he should take action against those who ran the information about Rahul Gandhi on sources.... Before the Delhi election, we had told EC about voter list what happened? Where was Rahul Gandhi when we had raised this issue before him? At the time, he should have raised his voice. When he did this, he didn't fulfil his responsibility... The Election Commission should respond to him with facts..." Bhardwaj told ANI. This comes after the Election Commission of India (ECI) asked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to sign the declaration by the Chief Electoral Officers of Maharashtra and Karnataka or apologise for his "absurd" allegations, according to sources. At a press conference on August 7, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were "choreographed" by the EC to benefit the BJP, which he said appeared "immune to anti-incumbency." Citing internal analysis, Gandhi said the Congress expected to win 16 seats in Karnataka but ended up with only nine. He said the Congress investigated seven unexpected losses, zeroing in on Mahadevapura, where he alleged vote theft involving 1,00,250 votes. Presenting Congress's research on voting in the Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) of 1,00,250 votes."Our internal polling told us we would win 16 seats in Karnataka; we won nine. We then focused on seven unexpected losses. We focused on data is 2024 data from the Election Commission; the total votes polled in the Lok Sabha were 6.26 lakhs. The BJP won with 6,58,915, securing a margin of 32,707. But then we look at Mahadevapura, where Congress polls 1,15,586 and BJP polls 2,29,632. Congress wins all Vidhan Sabhas but this one," the Congress leader said. "We found 1,00,250 votes stolen. Stolen in five different ways. Duplicate voters, fake and invalid addresses, and bulk voters in a single address, on a building with 50-60 people living. But when we go there, no record of those people living there. One family living in that house," he said.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Delhi Government To Table School Fee Regulation Bill Amid Opposition Heat Over Parent Protests And Delay
In a major move to address the ongoing controversy over rising school fees in the capital, Delhi's Education Minister Ashish Sood is set to present the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fee) Bill, 2025 in the Assembly during the Monsoon Session starting August 4. The bill, which proposes regulation of how private schools in Delhi set and change fees, intends to provide for transparency, accountability, and protection of parents, and instituting a systemised grievance redressal mechanism. According to the ordinance passed by the Delhi Cabinet on April 29, the new law makes penalisation strict for those schools which increase fees arbitrarily. Fines for a first-time offence would be between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh. In repeated offending, the penalties may be as high as Rs 10 lakh. Furthermore, not returning excess fees within the specified period would result in a doubling of penalties after 20 days, tripling after 40 days, and increasing further for each 20-day delay. Repeat offenders could also stand disqualified from school management positions and lose the right to make fee increase proposals in the future. But the bill has come under heavy criticism from the opposition, particularly AAP. AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj labelled the bill as a "bonanza for private schools" and an "attack on parents." The AAP leader accused the proposed framework of giving power to private school managements, and muzzling parents, and legalizing fee exploitation. "In April alone, some schools increased fees up to 82%. Instead of putting an end to this, BJP has introduced a bill that does away with audits, curtails complaints, and leaves everything in the hands of committees run by schools," he claimed. He also faulted the new complaint system, saying, "Previously, even one parent could appeal to the Director of Education. Now, the law mandates that 15% of all parents must collectively file a complaint. With a school of 3,000 students, this amounts to locating 450 parents an impossible feat." In a biting analogy, he went on, "If there is an overflowing sewer in your street, must you be asked to collect signatures from 15% of your colony before the authorities act? This is unreasonable and unfair." Has the Government Postponed the Fee Question Since February? The war of words on the fee increases in private schools started mounting in February and March when parents began protests throughout Delhi following some schools, such as DPS Dwarka, reportedly punished students for not paying fees even by making them sit in the library as punishment. Following increasing pressure, the newly formed Delhi government pledged to introduce a bill to regulate private school fees. On April 29, the Cabinet cleared the draft bill. The Budget Session of the Assembly commenced on May 13, and there was general hope that the bill would be brought in during this period. The session, however, concluded without the bill being placed on the table, mounting parent-led protests. Demonstrators came to the offices of Education Minister Ashish Sood, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and the Directorate of Education, calling for action at once. To try and stem the unrest, the Delhi government declared on June 11 that it had cleared an ordinance called the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fee) Ordinance, 2025. The government argued that because the Assembly was not in session, the ordinance was needed. But parents complain that the government did not consult stakeholders and did not make the ordinance public. Even after several meetings including one between parent groups and Delhi Leader of Opposition Atishi the ordinance remains to be implemented, almost two months after cabinet clearance. This has left many questions unanswered: Was the LG clearing the ordinance? Was it forwarded to the Union Home Ministry or President's Office? Why is there a delay when BJP is in power both at the Centre and in the Delhi government? Since ordinances have a six-month limit of validity, critics interpret the delay to mean that the government might be stalling without bringing genuine relief for agitating parents. Now that the Monsoon Session starts from August 4, the government has ensured that it will introduce the school fee regulation bill in the Assembly. Copies of the bill have been circulated among all members. As the bill finally reaches the Assembly, all eyes are on the debate between the government and the opposition, and whether the final version will genuinely address the concerns of lakhs of Delhi's parents.
News18
23-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Delhiites Swim, Boat On Waterlogged Roads After Rain; AAP Hits Out At BJP
Last Updated: AAP leaders mocked BJP with videos of people boating in flooded areas. IMD issued red and orange alerts in the city Delhi Rain: Waterlogging was reported in several parts of Delhi after heavy rains lashed the city on Wednesday morning, crippling vehicular movement during office hours. The BJP government's claims of working on a war footing to improve drainage systems fell flat today, as Delhiites and opposition parties shared photos and videos of severe waterlogging in their areas. Videos of BJP leaders on boats during monsoon have been used to make headlines for the past ten years, targeting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. But now it was AAP's turn to take potshots at Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and the BJP, which returned to power in the capital this February after 27 years. The road adjoining Delhi-Meerut Expressway saw a man swimming and a woman rowing a boat (yes, literally) in east Delhi's West Vinod Nagar. Sharing the video, AAP's Delhi chief Saurabh Bhardwaj took a dig at the BJP and said, 'Free Water sports in Delhi." He also thanked 'four engines", apparently referring to the fact that the BJP runs the government, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and Delhi Development Authority (DDA). Notably, this was the same location where BJP leader Ravinder Singh Negi, now Patparganj, was seen rowing an inflatable boat amid severe waterlogging as a symbolic protest against the Arvind Kejriwal government last year. No Waterlogging Under Minto Bridge However, this monsoon, no waterlogging was reported under the Minto Road bridge despite heavy rainfall in the national capital. In 2020, a man drowned after his vehicle got stuck on the waterlogged road. New Delhi: Despite heavy rainfall in the national capital, there was no waterlogging reported under the Minto Road bridge — IANS (@ians_india) July 23, 2025 Earlier this month, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta spoke to the media following rain spells in the national capital. She said that her government is solving the backlog of the last 27 years of Delhi one by one. 'Even after such heavy rains, there was no waterlogging in Delhi. It was a trend for a picture of a waterlogged Minto Bridge to be published in the newspapers. But this time it did not happen… Delhi will be in an even better condition by the next monsoon." #WATCH | Following rain spells in the national capital, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta says, '… We are solving the backlog of the last 27 years of Delhi one by one… Even after such heavy rains, there was no waterlogging in Delhi. It was a trend for a picture of a waterlogged Minto… — ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2025 Delhi Rain Forecast According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Safdarjung, the primary weather station of the national capital, recorded 5.6 mm of rainfall between 5.30 am and 8.30 am, while other stations reported higher amounts — Pragati Maidan recorded 16.6 mm, Pusa 10 mm, Janakpuri 9.5 mm, and Najafgarh 2 mm. Waterlogging and traffic disruptions affected several parts of Delhi, including South Delhi, South East Delhi, North Delhi, ITO, South Extension, NH-8, Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, Nehru Place, East of Kailash, Colony Road, and several other areas. North West and South West Delhi are under an orange alert, which stands for 'be prepared," while areas like South Delhi and North East Delhi are on red alert, indicating the need for maximum vigilance and prompt action. The showers led to a dip in temperature, offering relief to people discomforted by the humid conditions. The minimum temperature was recorded at 25.6 degrees Celsius, 1.7 degrees below normal, while the maximum temperature is expected to settle around 33 degrees Celsius, according to the IMD. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Gazette
09-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"BJP destroying not only Delhi but neighbouring states": AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj criticises end-of-life vehicle policy
New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): A day after Centre of Air Quality Management (CAQM) stayed the implementation on the policy regarding End of Life (EoL) vehicles in the national capital region till November 1, Aam Aadmi Party's Delhi president Saurabh Bhardwaj on Tuesday accused the government of 'destroying' Delhi and the neighbouring states. Speaking to ANI, Bhardwaj claimed that the Delhi government wants to expand the implementation of the EoL policy in the areas of Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad and more. He claimed that this stay on banning EoL vehicles will adversely affect crores of vehicles, estimating that around 2 crore of them will be junked, instead of the earlier estimate of 62 lakh. 'Not only Delhi but also this government has destroyed the neighbouring states. They wrote a letter to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and said that whatever they are doing is right, and in this way, only the pollution will be reduced. They requested some time so that this ban can be implemented in other adjoining cities as well. CAQM agrees to implement this ban from November 1 in Delhi, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Noida/Greater Noida, Faridabad, and Sonipat,' the AAP leader said. 'Now, earlier, where preparation was done to give 62 lakh vehicles to junk, now around two crore vehicles will go to junk,' he claimed. Earlier on July 8, CAQM delayed the implementation of the policy after Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa flagged the issue and highlighted the Delhi government's request, citing infrastructural limitations on its implementation. CAQM said the Delhi government brought attention to the issue in a letter on July 3, highlighting 'some operational and infrastrucural challenges in implementation of direction No 89 dates April 23, 2025.' The Delhi government's letter flagged challenges in implementation by citing that the Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system lacks the 'requiste robustness, with issues related to technological glitches, camera placement, working of sensors and speakers, and that the system is not yet full integrated with the database of neighbouring NCR states.' (ANI)
India Gazette
27-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Delhi govt approves continuation of existing liquor policy for FY 2025-26
ANI 28 Jun 2025, 01:43 GMT+10 New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): The Delhi Government has approved the continuation of the existing excise duty-based licensing regime for liquor for the year 2025-26. The renewed policy will be in effect from July 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, said an official statement. An order issued by the Excise Department of the Delhi government states that existing licenses will be renewed without any changes to the existing framework. Renewal fees will vary depending on how promptly applications are filed. No extra fee will be charged for renewal applications submitted within 30 days. Applications delayed up to 60 days will attract a 25% additional renewal fee, it said. Delays exceeding 60 days will incur a 100 per cent additional fee, it added. Earlier, Delhi Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) President Saurabh Bhardwaj had challenged Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to clarify her stance on the privatisation of liquor shops under the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) upcoming excise policy. The challenge came in response to Gupta's sharp criticism of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal in Ludhiana, where she accused him of colluding with the 'builder mafia' and failing to curb spurious liquor deaths in Punjab. Speaking to ANI, Bhardwaj said, 'I have a direct question for her (CM Rekha Gupta). BJP objected to the Delhi Excise Policy and claimed that liquor shops had been privatised. Later, the policy was scrapped, and the shops were returned to government ownership. Rekha Gupta should clarify if she will privatize liquor shops under the new Excise Policy. This will reveal who is in collusion with the liquor mafia. She should answer this.' (ANI)
