NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta took on the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government on Wednesday over the issue of alleged mass deletion of names from voters’ list.
In the ongoing Budget session, Gupta claimed the AAP government was “hiding” a reply of the Delhi chief electoral officer. The reply was hidden because it exposed the “lies” Kejriwal that over 24-lakh voters’ names were deleted in the last few years, he added.
A total of 11,54,332 names were deleted and 18,44,711 names were added from 2015-2018, Gupta said. “Thus, 6,90,379 names were added during these four years. This figure exposed the lie and propaganda of the CM,” Gupta said. “The lie of Arvind Kejriwal about deletion of 24-lakh names from voters’ list was exposed by his minister of elections, Imran Hussain, in a reply to my question.”
“The minister concealed from the House the important letter of the CEO, dated December 14, 2018, on the subject and did not submit a report on the resolution adopted by the Assembly within the stipulated period of three months which expired today,” he alleged.
As the information was “concealed” action should be taken for breach of privilege against Election Minister Imran Hussain under Rule 106 (2) and 66 of the House, Gupta said.
The senior BJP leader said the AAP government did not submit the report because the reply of chief electoral officer did not “suit” its claims that names of 24-lakh voters were deleted in Delhi.
Gupta said Hussain while giving his reply, told the House that the Election Commission did not maintain caste-based data of voters, which “demolished the charge” that most of the names deleted were those of Purvanchali, Bania and Muslims.