Bharatiya Janata Party leader Harish Khurana on Thursday slammed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its national convener Arvind Kejriwal after the Delhi government’s Directorate of Information and Publicity issued a notice to the party for allegedly using public money to “advertise” itself in other states, saying "it's a sheer betrayal of the trust of the people”.
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"The Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP) has sent a recovery notice of ₹163.63 crore to the Delhi government AAP and its convenor Arvind Kejriwal. The amount is a sheer betrayal of the trust of the people here. You [Arvind Kejriwal] advertise, but who gives money for that? It is the hard-earned income of the Delhiites, is it justice?" Khurana tweeted.
The BJP Delhi spokesperson added that the AAP should “apologise to the country” and deposit the specified amount at the earliest. The notice has warned the AAP that if it fails to pay up, its office in Delhi and other properties could be sealed.
{{/usCountry}}The BJP Delhi spokesperson added that the AAP should “apologise to the country” and deposit the specified amount at the earliest. The notice has warned the AAP that if it fails to pay up, its office in Delhi and other properties could be sealed.
{{/usCountry}}Stepping up his attack he said, "This is the same case where you gave money to your advocates to fight your case and now with this act, you have openly violated a Supreme Court directive and advertised your party (at the expense of public money) in other regions of the country, in a clear violation of the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court."
The letter issued by DIP has asked the AAP for the reimbursement of the amount of ₹163,61,88,265 (updated with the penal interest as on date December 28, 2022) incurred on advertisements found in violation of the guidelines of the Supreme Court.
An official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told HT that legal action that could involve attachment of party properties would be taken as per Delhi’s lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena's order.
The notice is set to escalate the feud between the BJP and the AAP government. They have been at loggerheads over multiple issues.