New Delhi, Jan 14: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday derided and taunted Kejriwal’s model of governance in the capital while launching a campaign to ‘expose’ its empty and hollow promises of transforming Delhi into a world-class city.

The Congress MP visited Delhi’s Rithala area on Tuesday to showcase the glaring gaps between the AAP government’s promises and reality on the ground. Undertaking the survey of a stinking area, marked with open drains and littered with filth, the Congress leader made a series of taunts at the AAP dispensation.

“Dekho, dilli dekho, yeh hai chamkati hui dilli. Paris jaisi dilli… sab jagah yahi haal hai” (See the city, this is Delhi, this is shining Delhi, the Delhi which looks like Paris), he was heard saying on camera.

In the run-up to the Delhi Assembly elections, broken roads, open sewers and stinking drainage systems have turned out to be major poll planks and all parties are raising this issue to the hilt.

Congress party also posted on X, “Arvind Kejriwal had promised to make Delhi shine like Paris. But, all his claims turned out to be hollow. Today, the people of Delhi are forced to live in clogged sewers, overflowing drains and immense filth.”

Rahul’s fresh pitch on the city’s poor and dilapidated roads and open sewers is a tactful drive to expose the AAP government on its broken promises and also recall the historic development drive undertaken during the Congress government, under the then CM Sheila Dikshit.

“Congress party’s promise is – we will return clean and beloved Delhi to the people of Delhi. We did it, we will do it again,” the party said in X post.

The verbal duel between AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Congress brass got a fresh twist after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi joined the campaign trail, with his first political rally in the Seelampuri area on February 13.

Rahul hit out at the AAP dispensation over issues like inflation, and ignorance of Dalit and minority communities and accused it of making false promises and spreading false propaganda.

In a quick retort, Kejriwal said that he won’t comment on Rahul’s remarks despite abuses.

“His fight is to save the Congress party, my fight is to save the country,” he posted on X.

New Delhi, Jan 14: After a failed attempt a day earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Tuesday filed her nomination papers from the Kalkaji constituency and lashed out at police and local election officials for acting promptly on poll-related complaints given by the BJP and ignoring the ones filed by the AAP.

CM Atishi raised questions over the impartiality of the Election Commission (EC) and police, claiming, “I hope the commitment of free and fair elections given by the EC to us will be fulfilled.

” Reacting to the registration of an FIR in Kalkaji for alleged misuse of a Public Works Department (PWD) van for transporting AAP election campaign posters, CM Atishi said, “When we complain against BJP candidate Parvesh Verma for distributing money and spectacles, we are told an inquiry is on. But, in my case, an FIR has been filed in Kalkaji without even an inquiry.”

“Something is fishy,” she said, adding that lower-level election officials are under pressure and the police are also favouring a particular party.

Attacking Parvesh Verma for allegedly blatantly violating the poll code, Atishi said he is openly issuing posts on social media, holding health camps, and distributing bedsheets.

The Delhi Chief Minister also attacked the Congress and the BJP for secretly collaborating to fight the February 5 Assembly election and misleading the people.

She said how is it possible without a BJP-Congress alliance that Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit promptly gets time to meet Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena to complain against the AAP scheme while AAP legislators are made to wait for weeks before getting an appointment to meet the L-G.

On Monday, Atishi held a roadshow in Kalkaji but could not file her nomination as she was forced to join an AAP delegation that met EC officials to complain about the alleged manipulation of the voters’ list in the New Delhi seat.

Earlier, the Delhi BJP accused CM Atishi and her party leaders of using government vehicles for personal campaigns even as the Kalkaji District Election Officer (DEO) got an FIR registered for misuse of a PWD van for carrying the CM’s posters.

Addressing a press conference, South Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri alleged that the BJP’s District Vice-President in Kalkaji detected a van on January 7, after the Model Code of Conduct for the polls came into effect, delivering posters and flags of CM Atishi at her office in Govindpuri Gali number 30.

“The AAP, which claims to be an honest party, is indulging in such gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct. There is a huge difference in their words and practice,” said Bidhuri, claiming that the area where the incident took place falls in his parliamentary constituency.

An FIR has been filed by the election office against a PWD engineer for the alleged incident of allowing the use of an official to transport the AAP candidate’s election campaign material in the Govindpuri area.

Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Jan 14: The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the repeated sexual assault of a teenage girl in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district, has arrested 44 people so far, its chief Ajitha Begum said on Tuesday.

“There are two accused who are now abroad and another 13 more who have to be arrested. The investigation is going in a fast-paced manner and all will be arrested at the earliest,” the SIT chief said.

On Tuesday, the victim’s statement was recorded before a magistrate near here.

The SIT has started proceedings for issuance of a red corner notice to ensure the two accused who are abroad are brought back here.

So far 31 cases have been registered across five police stations. The victim, reportedly assaulted by 59 people, has disclosed shocking details that have led to significant progress in the investigation.

The long list of the accused was traced by the SIT by analysing the victim’s diary and her father’s mobile phone, which she had been using.

The arrested individuals include three minors and four students preparing for their Class 12 final examinations next month. Most of the arrested are aged between 17 and 28.

According to the victim’s statement, she was exploited at various locations, including secluded rubber plantations, vehicles, and other spots within the district.

The assaults reportedly began when she was 13 years old and were perpetrated by acquaintances, coaches, senior sportsmen, and others, exploiting her role as a sportswoman. She was taken to various locations in vehicles and subjected to abuse.

The case came to light during a counselling session organized by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) after her teachers reported behavioural changes in her. During the session, she disclosed the extent of her abuse. The CWC then referred the case to the Pathanamthitta district police chief. FIRs have been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The case has drawn widespread attention, reminiscent of other high-profile sexual assault cases in Kerala, including the Suryanelli, Vithura, and Kozhikode incidents.