Order to recover Rs 97 crore for ads a conspiracy: Delhi government

New Delhi: Terming it as a conspiracy, the Aam Aadmi Party on Friday claimed that the three-member panel, which recommended recovery of Rs 97 crore from the Delhi government for spending on advertisements, does not have any mandate for the same.

Lieutenant governor Anil Baijal on Wednesday asked the Delhi government to recover Rs 97 crore it spent on certain advertisements from the AAP within a month.

The order followed the recommendations of the Committee on Content Regulation in Government Advertising, which found that the advertisements were used to promote the AAP instead of the government.

The three-member committee was formed on the basis of Supreme Court guidelines  that said its members should be of “unimpeachable neutrality”. Mr Manish Sisodia, who also holds the information and publicity portfolio, said the AAP was being targeted because of advertisements but the other governments did the same. Several governments organised five-star summits even outside their states to showcase their work.

“Every government showcases its work and gives advertisements. Former Delhi chief minister went to London to showcase her government’s works but only AAP is targeted. If the Congress does the same it is advertisement. When we do, it is misuse,” Mr Sisodia said.

“The order to recover Rs 97 crore from AAP is a conspiracy to suppress AAP’s voice against corruption,” he said. “We will tell the masses what work we are doing, which is our right as an elected government. We will tell the public the problems we are facing. Do whatever you (central government) want.”

Mr Sisodia said that the government - not the party - only advertised its work. “What crime has the AAP committed and why should it pay? Did AAP order those advertisements?” Mr Sisodia asked. He alleged that the committee had no authority to recommend recovery of money from the party, as the Supreme Court had not given any such instruction to the panel. Without naming former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, Mr Sisodia said even she held a business summit in London.

 “Other state governments also organise events in five star hotels outside their states,” Sisodia said. He remained non-committal on how the party would respond to the recovery notice. “We will inform you about our legal course,” he said.

Hitting out at the BJP without naming the party, Mr Sisodia said that the recovery notice was being issued after the AAP announced to abolish residential house tax if it came to power in the MCD.