Townhall Times During the Delhi Assembly elections, BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi loudly proclaimed, “Those who looted the country will have to return it.” But reality paints a different picture—today, that slogan seems to have silently transformed into: “You looted, now it’s our turn. You stay quiet, and so will we.” If the BJP and Modi government were truly serious about fighting corruption, there would have been firm action by now against the serious allegations faced by Aam Aadmi Party leaders.
Between 2022 and 2024, 1,105 benches were claimed to be installed in the Jangpura constituency, with a total expenditure of ₹2,27,44,700. However, on-ground inspections reveal that very few benches are actually visible in the area.
RTI data reveals the following expenditures:
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In 2022, 100 Victorian benches were purchased for ₹8.29 lakh, and another 150 for ₹23.45 lakh.
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In the same year, 25 stainless steel benches cost ₹4.99 lakh and 230 steel benches were procured at ₹49.13 lakh.
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In 2023, ₹7.71 lakh was spent on 100 RCC benches.
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In 2024, 300 stainless steel benches cost ₹73.50 lakh and 200 steel benches cost ₹60.35 lakh.
In total, the records show 825 steel benches, 100 RCC benches, and 250 Victorian benches—adding up to 1,105 benches. However, most of these benches are missing from public spaces. Upon physical verification, benches were either absent or found in negligible numbers. Some locals allege that certain benches are placed at the residences of people close to MLA Praveen Kumar.
The RTI response included only 9 photographs, supposedly clicked with GPS-enabled cameras to prove the existence of benches. But even these images were manipulated—photos on page 1 and 15 were identical, as were those on page 13 and 17. This points to a deliberate attempt to mislead the public by presenting the same bench as multiple installations.
This issue becomes even murkier when it comes to the stainless steel benches, as no photographic evidence was provided for them at all. The bigger question is—if the benches don’t exist on the ground, how were contractors’ bills cleared? And why did the MLA issue Satisfactory Letters and No Objection Certificates (NOCs) without physical verification?
Is this not a well-planned scam? Does it not point to a collusion between contractors, department officials, and the former MLA?
And if only 9 selective images were shared under RTI, could it be that the rest were deliberately hidden?
This is not mere negligence; it indicates organized and deliberate corruption. If no impartial investigation is conducted, it would be fair to conclude that BJP and AAP have a mutual, covert understanding—one loots while the other stays silent. In such a scenario, all political slogans about anti-corruption turn into hollow rhetoric, and what remains is the quiet distribution of power and profits between political rivals who are partners behind the curtain.
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