New Delhi, August 19: The political climate in the capital has intensified following the arrest of former minister Satyendar Jain by the Anti-Corruption Branch in connection with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) scandal. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has labeled this a “deception in the name of Yamuna cleanup,” while the Congress party has also accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of irregularities.
Former Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva stated, “The sewage treatment plant (STP) scandal is significant. In the name of cleaning the Yamuna, Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP have deceived the people of Delhi. There were plans to install STP plants, but a clause was deliberately added in the tenders issued in 2021 to benefit a specific company, Eurotech. The tender conditions were manipulated to favor that company, and the contract was awarded to them.”
Sachdeva further remarked, “Over the past ten years, Arvind Kejriwal has continuously misled the people of Delhi. This incident is part of the same pattern, which has now led to the arrest of six individuals. As the investigation progresses, Kejriwal’s name will also emerge.”
Sandeep Dikshit, chairperson of the Congress party, also criticized the AAP government. He noted, “We were aware of what was happening with those tenders and this scandal long ago. When the Congress government was in power, plans were made to install interceptors for the main drains that contribute to the pollution in the Yamuna. The process took time due to various permission issues. As far as I remember, two or three major interceptors were to be installed to treat sewage and drain water before it flowed into the Yamuna.”
He accused, “However, after Kejriwal’s government took over, they re-tendered the project. When a government starts re-tendering something that costs five rupees for ten, it indicates something is amiss. Technically, these projects should have been allowed to proceed, but the Kejriwal government did not do so. These irregularities are why they are now in trouble.”
Congress leader Surendra Rajput added, “If an agency takes action, it must have solid evidence. Since 2014, we have seen several agencies acting at the behest of the BJP. They keep individuals in jail for six months and then release them on bail. Who will account for those six months?”
Rajput stated, “If there is concrete evidence of corruption, then Satyendar Jain should certainly be arrested. However, if the allegations are political without proof, then such political vendetta is very wrong. Personal vendettas should never enter politics.”
Ashutosh Verma, spokesperson for the Samajwadi Party, countered the BJP’s claims in Lucknow, saying, “The BJP engages in vindictive politics. They have nothing to offer. As soon as they come to power, they start targeting previous governments.”
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