Delhi BJP leaders on Monday recorded their statements with the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) in connection with an alleged scam in the construction of classrooms in Delhi government schools.
The leaders, including the BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana, former Minister Kapil Mishra and Neelkant Bakshi, said that they also submitted “evidence” regarding the case to the ACB.
Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had told the Chief Secretary last month to file a report on the delay of more than two-and-a-half years by the Delhi government’s Vigilance Department in acting on a Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) report which highlighted “gross irregularities and procedural lapses” worth crores in the construction of additional classrooms in government schools.
The cost of constructing classrooms, according to the report, was found to have escalated to ₹326.25 crore, which was 53% higher than the awarded amount of tender, for the construction of 4,027 classrooms against the 6,133 that were intended to be constructed.
“We submitted evidence and filed our statements today; we are confident that the ACB and the Lokayukta will punish the guilty in the classroom scam,” Mr. Khurana said.
He added, “The issue was raised by us two years ago and we got the complaint of corruption lodged with the CVC, the ACB and the Lokayukta. The complaint with the Lokayukta has already been referred for a probe.”
Responding to the BJP’s allegations, an AAP spokesperson said, “If constructing beautiful classrooms for children from low and middle income families is corruption, then every government, every Minister in this country should commit such corruption.”
The spokesperson added, “The BJP wants Delhi’s schools to be as bad as they are in States governed by them. They want children of Delhi to not sit on comfortable benches. We won’t let them succeed. We won’t compromise with the interests of the children of Delhi.”
