The Bharatiya Janata Party BJP accuses AAP has claimed that people want the Chief Minister Rekha Gupta government to order a probe into an alleged “scam” involving a women’s pension scheme during the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) dispensation in the national capital.

The AAP hit back, alleging the BJP, which is in power in Delhi, wants to shut down all welfare schemes for the people.

In a statement, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva cited media reports and claimed that, according to current findings, over 83,000 registered women beneficiaries of the pension scheme were “fake” or “suspicious” and said the “scam” involved ₹200 crore per year.

“The Delhiites now want the Rekha Gupta-led government to conduct a high-level investigation into the matter,” Sachdeva said.

The scheme provides monthly financial assistance of ₹2,500 via direct benefit transfer to ensure social security for widowed, divorced, separated, abandoned, deserted, or destitute women above 18 years of age who lack adequate means of livelihood and fall under the poor and vulnerable category.

BJP accuses AAP on pension scheme

A Delhi BJP statement said that last year, some Delhi BJP MLAs and certain media outlets raised concerns about irregularities in the distribution of this pension and demanded an investigation.

Following due approvals, an investigation began in October 2024. However, the then government stalled its progress until February. According to available data, 3,81,539 women were registered for this pension scheme, it said.

“The investigation found irregularities with over 60,000 fake registrations. Additionally, 22,795 cases involved duplication or other discrepancies,” the statement claimed.

In 60,573 cases, investigators found that women either could not be located at their registered addresses or there was no proof of residence. In several instances, the addresses were found to be “fake”, it added.

AAP responded to the allegation, saying it had already warned the people of Delhi that if the BJP came to power, it would shut down all welfare schemes meant for the public.

“That is exactly what is happening now. The BJP has begun closing down hundreds of Mohalla Clinics, alleging a scam,” the Delhi’s opposition party said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

“They have discontinued the free treatment of accident victims, again citing a scam. It is only a matter of time before they end the free electricity scheme, too, claiming yet another fictitious scam,” it said.

Immediately after coming to power, the BJP allowed a hike in private school fees. They also attempted to ban 62 lakh vehicles in Delhi in collusion with automobile manufacturers, but the AAP and the public exposed their conspiracy, the AAP statement claimed.