Delhi govt constructed toilets in schools, counted them as classrooms: BJP

NEW DELHI, (PTI): The BJP on Friday said the vigilance directorate’s report on ”irregularities” in the construction of classrooms in Delhi government schools shows Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is only ”worried about black money flowing to him and not about children’s education”.

At a press conference here, the BJP’s national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia cited the vigilance directorate’s report in the matter and alleged ”corrupt Gabbar” Kejriwal colluded with private company ”Babbar and Babbar” to construct classrooms without floating a tender, violating the guidelines of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and Public Works Department (PWD).

The Delhi government increased the scope of construction work in schools without floating any tender. They constructed toilets in schools and counted them as classrooms, Bhatia alleged.

”He (Kejriwal) is not worried about the future of the children. He only worries about one thing — black money that is flowing to him,” he alleged.

The BJP leader claimed the report shows that the private firm decided the terms and conditions for the construction of classrooms in collusion with the government.

”You did not dismiss the corrupt minister who is in jail. The vigilance report has exposed the corruption in the education department too. The Directorate of Vigilance is part of the Delhi government. Can you weak shoulders lift this burden. Can you dismiss the corrupt minister?” Bhatia said.

The vigilance directorate has recommended a probe by a ”specialised agency” into alleged irregularities in the construction of classrooms for Delhi government schools, claiming it involved a ”scam of Rs 1,300 crore”, official sources said on Friday.

A report of the Delhi government’s vigilance directorate recommending the probe has been submitted to the chief secretary, they said.

The CVC, in a report dated February 17, 2020, highlighted ”glaring irregularities” in the construction of over 2,400 classrooms in Delhi government schools by the PWD.

The CVC had sent the report to the Delhi government’s vigilance directorate seeking its comments on the matter in February 2020. (PTI)