AAP stages protest over alleged bicycle procurement scam
The Aam Aadmi Party has staged a protest alleging a 40-crore rupee scam in a government bicycle procurement scheme for school girls. The BJP government has denied the allegations, labeling the protest a distraction from internal party issues.
Why it matters
Allegations of corruption in public procurement schemes directly impact taxpayer funds and the delivery of essential services to students.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday staged a protest near the Delhi Secretariat, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of an alleged bicycle procurement scam worth ₹40 crore.
The party alleged that the government bought 1.3 lakh bicycles under a scheme at “exaggerated” rates, with tender conditions allegedly tailored for specific companies. It demanded the resignation of Education Minister Ashish Sood.
Presenting the annual budget in March, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced ₹90 crore to distribute free bicycles to 1.3 lakh Class IX girls in government schools to curb dropouts. The government launched the scheme on July 31 by distributing bicycles to 3,000 students.
AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj said party leaders had gone to the Secretariat to meet the Chief Minister, but she refused to meet them.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in