AAP's 'Mahila Samman' scheme faces probe over 'illegal data collection' charge

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena has ordered an inquiry against private persons allegedly gathering personal details of women in the name of Mahila Samman Yojna, his office said on Saturday.

The AAP alleged that the BJP wanted to stop its scheme and is afraid of a defeat in the Assembly polls scheduled in February.

The LG also said that the chief secretary of the Delhi government may bring the matter to the knowledge of the Election Commission of India through the chief electoral office given that such canvassing is happening ahead of the election.

The inquiry was ordered based on a complaint by Congress leader and party's New Delhi Assembly seat candidate Sandeep Dikshit, who recently met Saxena at Raj Niwas.

In a letter addressed to the chief secretary and police commissioner, LG's principal secretary said, "Hon'ble Lieutenant Governor has desired the Chief Secretary to get an inquiry conducted through Divisional Commissioner in the matter of collection of personal details and forms by non-government people."

It said the police commissioner may direct the field officers to take action as per law against any person found breaching the privacy of citizens by collecting their personal details in the name of enrolling them for "benefits."

On Wednesday, Dikshit met Saxena and expressed his apprehensions about the Mahila Samman Yojna, under which the Delhi government has promised to give every woman in the city, aged above 18, Rs 1,000 per month.

The AAP said if it gets elected again, the government will raise the amount to Rs 2,100 per month.

Dikshit, according to the letter, alleged that the AAP workers were going door-to-door meeting women, and making them sign some forms.

"Dikshit has requested that because of the clarification submitted by the Women and Child Development Department, GNCTD, it is clear that this is a fraud being perpetrated by the AAP and has requested to institute a high-level inquiry into the matter," the letter read.

The WCD Department earlier this week published a public notice in newspapers saying it would launch a digital portal for the collection of forms as and when the scheme is notified.

The department advised people not to fill out forms handed to them by unauthorised persons.

The AAP, in response, has alleged that the inquiry came not from the Delhi LG but from the "office" of BJP leader Amit Shah.

The ruling party in Delhi charged that the BJP did not respect the women and claimed that the Mahila Samman Yojna was getting the full support of the women of the city.

The party claimed that more than 22 lakh women were already registered for the scheme.