Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s criticism of the Delhi government, which came after the inauguration of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor on Sunday. Kejriwal held a press conference hours after PM Modi’s address.
Kejriwal expressed his displeasure over the PM’s words, stating, “Today, the PM spoke for 30 minutes and he kept abusing the people of Delhi and the elected government of Delhi. I was listening to it, and it felt bad… The promise made by the PM in Delhi in 2020 – the people of Delhi Dehat are still waiting for that to be fulfilled.”
In his response, Kejriwal said, “…Those who blame that – the AAP keep fighting – today’s inauguration is an example that shows that AAP only works for the people of Delhi. They sent our top leadership to jail, but the atrocities that happened against us, we didn’t make that an issue – otherwise, these projects would not have been inaugurated…”
#WATCH | Delhi | AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal says, “…Those who blame that – the AAP keep fighting – today’s inauguration is an example that shows that AAP only works for the people of Delhi. They sent our top leadership to jail – but the atrocities that happened… pic.twitter.com/Ai5aPDWxIb
— ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2025
No Welfare Scheme Will Be Stopped: PM Modi
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi for allegedly wasting a decade in tussle with the Centre. He called the people of Delhi to give the BJP a chance to make the city a “city of the future.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said public welfare schemes initiated under his rule as Chief Minister, the Gujarat development model, shall not be scraped. Instead, a new administration that the BJP could form after forming government would wipe off all elements of corruption surrounding it.
“And this ‘aapda’ of Delhi must get over then will double-engine development arrive in here,” he further mentioned in Delhi to point to inefficiencies, allegations of corruptions by this AAP-led regime in the State capital.
Development Projects By The Centre
The Centre has various development projects on, which Mr Modi said the city is also a part of, such as widening highways, expansion of Metro networks, establishment of Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), and opening of large hospitals.
He said that in the last ten years, Delhi had been ruled by a state government which, he said, was nothing less than a “disaster” for the city’s progress. “Delhiites have realized this. Only one voice is reverberating in Delhi: ‘Aapda nahi sahenge, badal kar rahenge’ (we will not tolerate disaster, we will bring change),”, he said.
The Prime Minister criticized the AAP government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, claiming that while residents of Delhi could not find oxygen and medical supplies, the leadership of the city was busy constructing their “Sheesh Mahal” (metaphor for personal gain).
“They have made a huge budget for the ‘Sheesh Mahal’. This is their truth. They do not care about the people of Delhi. That is why every Delhiite today is saying. ‘we will not tolerate aapda, we will change’,” Modi said, further intensifying his criticism of the AAP government’s priorities during the pandemic.
ALSO READ | ‘AAPda Won’t Be Tolerated:’ PM Modi Accuses AAP Government Of Pushing Delhi Into Crisis
