NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday fired a fresh salvo against Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena alleging that he misused his position and awarded a contract for interior designing of a Khadi lounge in Mumbai to his daughter during his tenure as the chairman in Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).
The AAP leaders demanded ‘immediate’ removal of the L-G. Addressing a press conference, AAP national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said that legal proceedings should be initiated against Saxena for allegedly awarding the task to his daughter in violation of the law.
“Saxena, during his term as KVIC chairman, misused his position and awarded a contract for interior designing of a Khadi lounge in Mumbai to his daughter. How can one give contract to his own daughter when on a constitutional post? He has openly violated KVIC Act 1961,” he said. He has committed corruption, he can’t escape the fire after himself lighting it, said Singh.
The prime minister should immediately sack Saxena from the post and legal action should be taken against him for the same, said the AAP MP. The AAP is holding consultations with its senior lawyers and preparing to approach the court in the matter, he added. “Saxena can’t escape his misdeeds. We will soon be approaching court in the matter because the due process of awarding the contract was not followed,” he said.
Other party leaders including Atishi, Durgesh Pathak, Somnath Bharti and Saurabh Bhardwaj made similar allegations against the L-G. The news portal—newslaundry also carried a report about Khadi lounge in Mumbai stating that it was reportedly designed by Saxena’s daughter. In response, the L-G secretariat tweeted a KVIC’s letter to the news portal, which says his daughter had designed the lounge free of cost.
It added that L-G’s daughter’s name was “put on the plaque as a goodwill gesture acknowledging her services, since it saved KVIC the cost of designing.” Bhardwaj termed Saxena’s conduct in the capacity of ex-chairman KVIC as “inappropriate”.
Quoting a news item in a press conference at the AAP headquarters at Rouse Avenue, Bhardwaj said that a news website named News Laundry, had uploaded several queries regarding Saxena’s “misconduct” while serving as KVIC chairman, before he was appointed as Delhi L-G.