3 weeks ago
Delhi Minister Sood dismisses AAP bicycle corruption allegations as malicious
Leaders of two political groups in Delhi are arguing about bicycles.
The Delhi government gave new bicycles to more than 3,000 schoolgirls.
A group called AAP says the government paid too much for the bicycles.
The government's minister, Ashish Sood, says that is not true.
He says the bicycles were bought in a fair, open way on a government website.
He says AAP keeps changing its story about how much extra money was paid.
He also reminded everyone that the government is helping people who live in slums.
New rules will protect long-term slum dwellers from being moved far away.
The government says families should stay near their schools and jobs.
Not everyone agrees, so this remains a big argument.
Delhi Minister Ashish Sood called AAP's corruption allegations over the schoolgirl bicycle scheme 'malicious' and baseless.
Sood said AAP's claimed commission figures kept changing: 70% on August 3, 40% (Rs 36 crore loss in a Rs 90 crore scam) on August 6, 43% and 66% on August 7, and 75% on August 8.
Sood said the procurement was done transparently on the central government's Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal and awarded to the lowest eligible L1 bidder with no vendor complaints.
Sood criticized AAP leaders for leaving the Assembly during discussions on welfare programmes such as the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana.
The BJP government passed the DUSIB Amendment Bill 2026, extending slum dweller eligibility from January 1, 2006 to January 1, 2025, with rehabilitation at the same location or within 2.5-3 kilometers.
- Who
- Delhi Minister Ashish Sood of the BJP-led government and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which made the corruption allegations.
- What
- Sood rejected AAP's allegations of corruption in the bicycle procurement scheme for schoolgirls and defended the DUSIB Amendment Bill 2026 for slum dwellers.
- Where
- Delhi, India.
- When
- Wednesday, as reported in the article.
- Why
- Sood said the procurement was fully transparent and accused AAP of spreading lies out of panic over the government's welfare initiatives.
AAP's View
BJP Government's View
Bicycle procurement
AAP's View
AAP alleges corruption in the bicycle procurement, claiming inflated commissions (figures ranging from 40% to 75%) and losses such as Rs 36 crore out of a Rs 90 crore scam.
BJP Government's View
Sood says procurement followed statutory guidelines on the transparent GeM portal, was awarded to the lowest eligible L1 bidder, and attracted no vendor complaints; he calls AAP's shifting figures a sign of desperation.
Slum dweller protection
AAP's View
AAP has reportedly claimed that the BJP would displace slum dwellers.
BJP Government's View
The BJP government says it passed the DUSIB Amendment Bill 2026, extending eligibility to January 1, 2025 and rehabilitating residents at the same location or within 2.5-3 kilometers.
Key facts
- Minister
- Ashish Sood
- Government
- Rekha Gupta-led BJP government in Delhi
- Scheme in question
- Bicycle distribution for schoolgirls
- Bicycles delivered
- Over 3,000
- Procurement portal
- Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
- AAP's alleged commission figures
- 70% (Aug 3), 40% (Aug 6), 43% and 66% (Aug 7), 75% (Aug 8)
- DUSIB Amendment Bill 2026
- Eligibility cutoff extended from January 1, 2006 to January 1, 2025
- Rehabilitation radius
- Same location or within 2.5-3 kilometers
Quotes
Delhi Minister Ashish Sood
Delhi Minister of Education
“Sood stated, “In today’s era, everything is transparently available on GeM. Education Department officials followed all formalities. AAP is staging cheap theatrical dramas, just like their old EVM box stunt, to mislead the public.””
thestatesman.com
“Mentioning the highlights of the bill, the minister said that the cut‑off timeframe for eligibility has been extended by 19 years from January 01, 2006 to January 01, 2025 to protect long‑term slum dwellers.”
thestatesman.com
Sources
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