NEW DELHI: PM Modi launched a scathing attack on AAP on Friday, calling it “AAPda” (Hindi for disaster), virtually setting the tone for an aggressive and high-pitched campaign for the assembly elections to be held in the capital in February.
Speaking at an event in Ashok Vihar while inaugurating various development initiatives, the PM gave the slogan, “AAPda ko nahi sahenge, badal ke rahenge (We will not tolerate the disaster, will change things).” He repeated the slogan several times with the crowd joining him amidst loud cheers. Accusing AAP of putting brakes on Delhi’s development, the PM said voters have now decided to get rid of the party.
“This is the country’s capital and it is the right of people to get good governance. But in the past 10 years, Delhi has been in the grip of a big AAPda,” he said.
“By putting Anna Hazareji at the forefront, some kattar beimaan people pushed Delhi into aapda,” he added.
This was an indirect jibe at AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, who has in the past called himself “kattar imaandar (hardcore honest)”. AAP functionaries, including Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, are facing corruption charges in the excise policy case.
Modi accused AAP of engaging in corruption in liquor policy, schools, treatment of the poor, fight against pollution and jobs. “These people talked about Delhi’s development but have now become an ‘aapda’ on Delhi,” he said. He accused them of engaging in open corruption and then glorifying it.
This was Modi’s first political speech ahead of the state polls when, again without taking names, he targeted Kejriwal over renovation of the CM’s residence on 6 Flag Staff Road in Civil Lines. He said he could have also built a “sheesh mahal” for himself, but his dream was to ensure homes for everyone in the country.
“The country knows very well that Modi never built a house for himself, but in the past 10 years, I fulfilled the dreams of over four crore poor families by providing them with homes,” he said.
Taking a swipe at the AAP govt, the PM said in areas where it can’t intervene, work gets done. “In DDA, there is not much intervention of AAPda, so it is able to give so many houses to the poor and middle class, supplying gas through pipelines,” he said. He said construction of highways and expressways in Delhi is progressing because there is no involvement of AAP govt in these projects.
He also targeted AAP over non-implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi. Modi said that because of the city govt not allowing the Centre’s signature health insurance scheme and other programmes to be implemented in the capital, he was unable to fully help the people living here despite efforts.
In an attempt to counter AAP’s free electricity scheme, the PM said the central govt is making electricity bill zero with Pradhan Mantri Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojna. Under this scheme, people are even earning. “The BJP govt is giving Rs 78,000 to a family to install solar panels,” he said.
PM Narendra Modi said the central govt is providing free ration to nearly 75 lakh needy people in Delhi.
