Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has accused former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of corruption following the release of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).
The report highlighted financial mismanagement, including the closure of bus routes, rising operational costs, and increased government grants, prompting Sirsa to demand a thorough investigation.
"Kejriwal came claiming he would eradicate corruption, but now, whenever we examine any record, it is filled with corruption, corruption, and more corruption," Sirsa remarked.
Criticising the AAP government, Sirsa referred to a directive from the Delhi High Court, which recommended a fleet of 11,000 buses. "Apart from two electric buses, you have not brought a single DTC bus," he asserted.
Sirsa further criticised the AAP for the closure of numerous bus routes and a decline in revenue, despite a significant rise in government grants to the DTC.
"Buses now operate on only 468 out of 814 routes. In 2015-16, the DTC generated a revenue of ₹914 crore, but this has now fallen to ₹550 crore.
The Delhi government's grant to the DTC has increased from ₹1,174 crore in 2015-16 to ₹2,320 crore, yet no one knows where this money is going. Earlier, it cost ₹213 per km to operate a bus; the Kejriwal government has increased this to ₹487 per km. No calculator can explain how these figures were determined," Sirsa stated.
He also demanded a comprehensive investigation, stating, "The CAG report loudly reveals the extent of corruption."
Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, requested that the discussion on the CAG report be postponed to Wednesday, arguing that the opposition required adequate time to review the document.
"The report was presented today, so everyone should have time to study it. All members, whether from the ruling party or the opposition, should have the opportunity to read the report," Atishi expressed.
However, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta declined the request for a delay, stating, "We will continue the discussion on this CAG report the day after tomorrow as well. But today, some members wished to speak on it."
Earlier in the day, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta tabled the CAG report on the DTC, which assessed the corporation's key operational and financial aspects, identifying inefficiencies and areas requiring improvement.
The report examined fleet management, revenue generation, operational sustainability, and adherence to public transport policies.
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