BJP deputes govt officials for NGO's fund collection: AAP minister

New Delhi: The Delhi BJP deputed government officials to collect funds for an NGO run by close acquaintances of BJP head Adesh Gupta, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged on Monday.

In a statement released by Aam Admi Party (AAP), Sisodia said, "An NGO -- 'Drop in Ocean' -- was set up by BJP leaders to pocket crores of rupees in the name of digital classrooms."

According to him, BJP signed an MoU with the NGO to rob the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) and the people of Delhi in its' last days' in the corporation, PTI reported. "The BJP is finding innovative ways of corruption in the MCD in the penultimate month of its 17-year misrule," Sisodia said.

Further, "MCD signed an MoU with an NGO to digitalise the classrooms. The MoU stated that the NGO would raise funds for the digitalisation of classrooms through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Instead of adhering to the MoU, the BJP has directed high-ranking officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to seek funds for the NGO from businessmen," he said.

He said that receiving CSR funds is not new but deputing corporation officials to gather CSR money is a first in India. "The corporation has formed a committee comprising its top executives to raise CSR funds for this NGO from firms," he alleged. He added that all the eight members of the NGO are from the Delhi BJP Adesh Gupta's core team, and the information is available with the Registrar's office.