'Betrayal of trust': BJP's Harish Khurana attacks AAP after DIP's recovery notice of Rs 163.63 crore

New Delhi: BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana on Thursday slammed Aam Aadmi Party and its national convenor Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly using public money to 'advertise' itself in other states.
In a tweet, with which he tagged a personal video, Khurana said, "The Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP) has sent a recovery notice of Rs 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 the justice?" He further tweeted, "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."
In the personal video, the BJP's Delhi spokesperson said the AAP should deposit the said amount to the Delhi government as early as possible and should also "apologise to the country".
"I would also request L-G VK Saxena to issue a guideline so that such instances do not repeat in the future," he added.
The letter issued by DIP has asked the AAP for the reimbursement of the amount of Rs 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.
The Delhi government's Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP) on Wednesday issued the recovery notice, to the AAP which it said had violated the guidelines on political advertisements issued by the Supreme Court and cost the State exchequer.
"...the main purpose and objective of the guidelines framed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India was to prevent misuse of Government funds for the projection of image of the politician or the political party in power. Since the same has happened even after the judgement, the only way it could be reminded is to make the political party, the main beneficiary in the process of violation to pay for the expenditure incurred by the Government. The Committee directs the Government of NCT of Delhi to assess the expenditure incurred by it in issuing advertisements (i) outside the territory of Delhi on the occasion of various anniversaries (ii) on those advertisements/advertorials in which the name of Aam Aadmi Party is mentioned (iii) on those advertisements publicized the views of the Chief Minister on the incidents that took place in other States, and (iv) on those advertisements which targeted the opposition. The Committee further directs the Government of NCT of Delhi to get the entire expenditure so incurred on the above mentioned category of advertisements reimbursed to the State exchequer from the Aam Aadmi Party,..." the notice read.
According to sources, if the AAP fails to make the payment, legal action, including sealing of the office of the AAP and attachment of the properties of the party shall be initiated. (ANI)