NEW DELHI: A long queue of job seekers, including women, lined up outside a bungalow on Pant Marg in Lutyens’ Delhi on Tuesday for interviews at a ‘job fair’ allegedly organized by an NGO. This comes amidst allegations by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and New Delhi constituency candidate Arvind Kejriwal against BJP’s Parvesh Verma for holding a job fair in violation of the model code of conduct ahead of the February 5 assembly elections.
AAP had earlier filed a complaint regarding the “Har Ghar Naukari” campaign, which was reportedly held on January 15. Election officials instructed the police to prevent any such events during the poll period.
At the Pant Marg bungalow, a large hoarding displayed the campaign name “Har Ghar Naukari” alongside the NGO ‘Rashtriya Swabhiman,’ founded in 1998 by Sahib Singh Verma, father of Parvesh Verma. However, a man claiming to be the event coordinator declined to provide details, stating, “It is a private event, and we have not invited the media.”
Several job seekers shared their experiences. “I was asked to bring my voter ID and proof of residence in Delhi,” said Shrishtha Pandey, 23. Others, like Ashish Kumar, reported receiving similar instructions.
Over 150 people queued up outside the bungalow, submitting voter ID cards, resumes, and other documents. Participants, including Priyanka Singh, said they underwent brief interviews and were told to await further communication from the companies.
Meanwhile, the district election officer of New Delhi confirmed preventive measures were in place to stop such events but did not clarify the current status of this gathering. No immediate response came from Parvesh Verma’s office regarding the controversy.
The New Delhi constituency is seeing intense competition, with Kejriwal facing BJP’s Verma in a high-stakes battle. The alleged job fair has added fuel to an already heated election campaign.
