BJP files police complaint over city ‘classroom scam’

The Asian Age.

Metros, Delhi

Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari on Monday had alleged Rs 2,000 crore scam in construction of 12,782 classrooms by the ruling AAP.

Delhi Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP leaders on Tuesday filed a police complaint seeking registration of an FIR in connection with their party’s allegation of a Rs 2,000 crore scam in construction of classrooms by the ruling AAP government.

The complaint filed by Delhi BJP media relations head Neelkant Bakshi and spokesperson Harish Khurana demanded police to book persons responsible for the scam, be it ministers, officials or contractors involved in construction of classrooms at five times higher than usual costs. The complaint was filed with New Delhi district police.

Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari on Monday had alleged Rs 2,000 crore scam in construction of 12,782 classrooms by the ruling AAP.

The AAP dispensation reacted sharply to the charge with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Sisodia both challenging the BJP to arrest them if they thought there was any “scam” in construction of classrooms.

Mr Sisodia had challenged Mr Tiwari to get him arrested or apologise to people for lying to them.

Mr Khurana whose RTI query provided ammo to the BJP in seeking to corner the AAP government in the matter, said that Delhi government spent Rs 24.86 lakh on construction of each classroom.

The BJP leaders, quoting RTI reply received by Mr Khurana, claimed that Delhi government spent Rs 2,892.65 crore on construction of 12,782 classrooms which should have come up with an expenditure of around Rs 800 crore as per usual costs.

The AAP sought to hit back, with Sisodia claiming that the BJP ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation recently came up with a proposal to construct 43 rooms in a school at a cost of Rs10.73 crore, which means Rs 24.95 lakh were earmarked as expenditure for each classroom.

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