AAP, BJP trade charges over NGO link with Adesh Gupta

HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI: State deputy chief minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia on Monday alleged that officials of the North Delhi civic body have been collecting funds for an NGO run by associates of Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Adesh Gupta, a claim the saffron party refuted.

Addressing a press conference, Sisodia said, “The BJP has begun to develop innovative ways of committing corruption in Delhi’s MCD in the penultimate month of its 17-year misrule. It has developed a programme to digitise classrooms in Mcd-run schools. Following that, the MCD signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with an NGO called ‘Drop in Ocean’ to digitise classrooms. The MOU expressly said the NGO will raise funds for the digitisation of classrooms through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds. But instead of adhering to the

MOU, the BJP directed senior MCD staff to generate funds for the NGO from businesspersons.”

AAP leader Durgesh Pathak made similar allegations against the NGO on Sunday.

“The corporation has formed a committee of its top executives and has asked them to raise CSR funds for this NGO from different businessmen. The BJP has mastered the art of inventing new methods to defraud the people of Delhi. All eight members of the NGO are from the core team of BJP Delhi state president Adesh

Gupta, according to information available with the office of the registrar,” Sisodia said.

Sisodia said the AAP tried to obtain information on the NGO from the registrar’s office.

“There is no information about the NGO or its previous activity accessible. Even the MOU signed with the company contains no information regarding this NGO’S previous work,” Sisodia said.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said the allegations were “baseless”.

“Sisodia should immediately tender an apology to Gupta or prove the charges, failing which suitable legal action will be taken against him,” said Kapoor.

Girish Mohan, treasurer of the NGO, also refuted the charges.

“The NGO was registered in 2018 and is working with the North Delhi Municipal Corporation to digitise classrooms and provide teachers for remedial classes. The NGO has no direct or indirect link with Adesh Gupta,” said Mohan.

All eight members of the NGO are from the core team of BJP Delhi chief Adesh Gupta...

Delhi deputy chief minister