NEW DELHI, Jan 11: The CAG has projected a loss of Rs 2,026 crore due to the Delhi government’s excise policy, and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party has not tabled the report in the assembly to hide its misdeeds, the BJP claimed on Saturday.
BJP leader Anurag Thakur told a press conference the CAG report has arrived at 10 major findings about the policy, which was scrapped by the AAP government amid a row, asserting that former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will have to answer the questions it has raised.
“He will have to say who pocketed the money,” Thakur said, alleging that Kejriwal is the kingpin of the scam.
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BJP president J P Nadda claimed the CAG report has exposed intentional lapses, leading to a loss of Rs 2,026 crore loss to the exchequer.
Nadda said on X, “Intoxicated by power, high on misgovernance. ‘AAP’DA model of loot in full display and that too on something like liquor.”
He said it is just a matter of a few weeks before the AAP government is voted out and punished for its misdeeds.
He alleged, “CAG Report on ‘Liquorgate’ exposes @ArvindKejriwal and @AamAadmiParty Gov. Intentional ‘Lapses’ in Policy Implementation. Rs 2026 Cr Loss to Exchequer money.”
The then chief minister Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia were arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the case of alleged corruption in framing the excise policy, which was later scrapped.
Both were released on bail after spending months behind bars.
The said CAG report has not been officially released as yet but its purported content has been reported in some sections of the media.
Asked about the BJP allegations, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, “Where is the report? The BJP itself keeps saying no CAG report has been tabled.”
At his press conference, Thakur asked who will be the chief ministerial face of the Aam Aadmi Party as it has been left with no “honest face”.
Kejriwal cannot become chief minister, he said.
BJP leaders have often suggested that the Supreme Court’s bail conditions for Kejriwal in the excise case rule him out for the job.
The former Union minister said the AAP’s journey over the last 10 years is of scams and sins. It has delivered liquor scam and “sheesh mahal” instead of fulfilling the promises related to schools, sanitation, and self government.
Its eight ministers and 15 MLAs ended up in jail, he said, adding that Kejriwal and Sisodia were also incarcerated.
The CAG, he said, has fixed accountability, putting the AAP government in the dock for ignoring expert opinion, allowing bidding despite complaints, not penalising violations and not following transparency in framing the excise policy.
Kejriwal used to demand the arrest of Sonia Gandhi 11 years back for various scams and is now evading replies in the cases of corruption involving his party, Thakur said.
The AAP rose on the basis of reports of various constitutional institutions, he said, in an apparent reference to their critical references to some of the policies of the previous UPA government at the Centre.
They are now raising questions on these institutions, he said. (PTI)
