AAP hits out at BJP for Centre’s I-T notice to Kalkaji MLA Atishi

“A very laughable incident has taken place within our party. Atishi, a renowned leader of our party, has been sent a notice by the IT department. The notice has been sent only because in her affidavit for the 2020 assembly elections, she declared having movable assets worth ₹69.79 lakh in the form of fixed deposits and mutual funds in her bank account,” said AAP’s chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government for allegedly raising questions on the assets owned by senior leader Atishi, AAP’s MLA from Kalkaji.

Atishi said this is not the first time the BJP-led central government has used one of its agencies to harass leaders of her party. (Screengrab)

Addressing a press conference, AAP’s chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said the income tax department has sent a notice to Atishi. “A very laughable incident has taken place within our party. Atishi, a renowned leader of our party, has been sent a notice by the IT department. The notice has been sent only because in her affidavit for the 2020 assembly elections, she declared having movable assets worth ₹69.79 lakh in the form of fixed deposits and mutual funds in her bank account,” said Bhardwaj.

Atishi said this is not the first time the BJP-led central government has used one of its agencies to harass leaders of her party. “Be it CBI, Delhi police, the Enforcement Directorate, income tax summons or income tax raids, there is no other agency that the central government has not used to attack the AAP. Despite all their efforts in all these years, they have failed to sustain even a single case against any AAP leader. It is my challenge to the BJP, just the way we are ready to make all our accounts and properties public, are BJP ministers also ready to do the same?” she asked.

The Delhi BJP said the AAP is used to playing the “victim card”. “If any investigative agency issues a notice to any of the AAP leaders, they all come together to raise a hue and cry as if their colleague is being illegally harassed or victimised. The AAP is a scam party with scamster leaders who talk of high ideals. The moment any government agency issues them a notice, they all shout in frustration. One fails to understand if there is nothing wrong in Atishi’s accounts, then why is she so distraught on getting a notice?” said Praveen Shankar Kapoor, Delhi BJP spokesperson.