Delhi LG Orders Probe into AAP’s Mahila Samman Yojana, Kejriwal Says Claims "Fake"

Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has initiated a high-level inquiry into the AAP Delhi government’s proposed Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana, following complaints from Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, reports said on Saturday.

The move, however, has sparked allegations from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that it is a politically motivated attempt to block the scheme's implementation in the capital, allegedly orchestrated by the BJP and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Lt Governor's office has issued directives to both the Delhi Chief Secretary and the Commissioner of Police to address the concerns raised in Dikshit's complaint. The inquiry will focus on claims of fraudulent personal data collection under the scheme and the alleged presence of Punjab intelligence officers near Congress candidates' residences, as well as the suspected transfer of cash from Punjab to Delhi for influencing elections.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal dismissed the allegations as "fake", questioning: "What will they investigate?" The Mahila Samman Yojana, an initiative promising Rs 2,100 monthly payments to eligible women, has come under scrutiny, with concerns over unauthorized registration camps collecting personal information.

The Lt Governor has directed the Chief Secretary to investigate these concerns through the Divisional Commissioner and instructed the Delhi Police to take legal action against those found violating citizens' privacy by organizing unauthorized registration camps.

Commenting on the developments, Kejriwal expressed frustration, saying, "We were repeatedly asking what would the BJP do by contesting elections. What is their plan? Today we got to know that if they win, they will stop the Mahila Samman Yojana, Sanjeevani Yojana, free electricity, free education and free electricity."

Earlier, the Delhi government's Women and Child Development and Health departments had issued public notices stating that the Mahila Samman Yojana and the Sanjeevani Yojana lacked official approval and were “non-existent”. The notices cautioned citizens against sharing personal information with unauthorized individuals and described the registrations as fraudulent.

Kejriwal, defending the schemes, stated, "I had said that after winning the election, we would give Rs 2,100 to women and free treatment to the elderly above 60 years of age. Both these schemes were so beneficial for the public that lakhs of people registered for them already. This made the BJP nervous, many BJP leaders told me that to forget about winning, the BJP's deposit would be forfeited in many places."

Kejriwal further criticized the BJP's actions, saying, "First, they sent their goons, then sent the police and uprooted the registration camp, today they have ordered a fake investigation that there will be an investigation. What will they investigate? We had made an election announcement that if we win the election, we will implement it."