"This is fraud": Congress' Sandeep Dikshit targets AAP after Delhi govt's WCD department flags 'Mahila Samman Yojana'

Speaking to ANI, the Congress leader accused AAP of collecting data of Delhi's citizens to use it ahead of assembly polls due early next year.

"Earlier too we had raised questions on this... The money will be released when you send a proposal to the Finance Department. This is fraud. Calling people to register for the schemes appears to be a way of collecting data so that they can be contacted ahead of the elections," Dikshit stated.

This came following the Delhi government's Women and Child Development (WCD) department issuing a clarification regarding the 'Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana' announced by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the 2025 assembly elections. The department stated that no such scheme has been officially notified.

"It is clarified that no such scheme has been notified by the Delhi Government," the department said in the notice published in national newspapers on Wednesday.

"It is emphasised that since no such scheme is in existence, the question of acceptance of the form/application for registration under this non-existent scheme does not arise. Any private person/political party who is collecting forms/applications or collecting information from applicants in the name of this scheme is committing fraud and has no authority," the notice added.

Following the incident, the opposition BJP slammed the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, calling it digital 'fraud.'

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva accused Kejriwal of misleading the public and committing 'digital fraud' by promoting a non-existent scheme.

Sachdeva said, "Arvind Kejriwal is leading the people of Delhi towards digital fraud. There is an AAP government in Delhi, and their own department is issuing a warning to the public that no such scheme exists. Arvind Kejriwal is cheating the people of Delhi. This is Atishi vs. Arvind Kejriwal." (ANI)