NEW DELHI: Calling Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal “Bagula Bhagat,” BJP on Wednesday criticised AAP and said that it has lost its “credibility” by following “the same old Congress politics.”
Regarding Kejriwal’s electoral promise to provide Rs 18,000 monthly honorarium to temple priests and gurudwara granthis, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi stated that the AAP represents “unreliability” in Indian politics, suggesting Delhi residents have understood their tactics.
“In today’s politics, the biggest challenge for all political parties was the crisis of credibility. The public perception has developed that politicians say one thing and do something entirely different. Under the leadership of prime minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the NDA have changed this mindset. We have established authenticity in politics, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) represents the other extreme. They say one thing but never do it. Today, I just want to point out 10 things that Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP had promised, and what the reality is,” Trivedi said.
He listed out the list of promises that Kejriwal’s party made like solution of hanging electric wires, 24 hour clean drinking water, work-class education system, improve medical treatment, pollution free environment, and safety for women. And then the BJP spokesperson told that he still hasn’t fulfilled any promises.
“The question today is that even after 10 years in power, including during their government in 2013, the situation in Delhi is that on July 23, 2024, a 26-year-old young man became a victim of these hanging wires. Second, they claimed that they would provide 24-hour clean drinking water. But when the summer heat arrived, people saw the chaos in the north-western and outer regions of Delhi regarding water supply. Journalists also went and reported on it. Let’s not believe the words of politicians or their workers. The water, which people were forced to use, was so foul that it caused immense discomfort. Third, they promised a world-class education system. And remember, Kejriwal himself had said that it was so difficult to get an article published in the world’s biggest newspaper, The New York Times. However, the truth is that the Delhi high court reprimanded the education system, expressing dissatisfaction over various issues,” Shudhanshu Trivedi said.
“Then, they promised to improve medical treatment. The reality during the COVID crisis was utter chaos, with the government more focused on publicity than addressing the health crisis. The corruption in mohalla clinics also came to light, with one case where 539 people were supposedly treated in just 4 hours, which was impossible. They also promised a pollution-free environment. But the current situation, especially during the winter season, speaks for itself. The air quality and pollution in Delhi are worse than ever, and even Kejriwal’s health seems to have deteriorated due to it. Next, they promised to eliminate the mountains of garbage. But today, the height of these garbage piles is increasing, even near Qutub Minar, and it has reportedly reached 8 meters in some areas,” he added.
Regarding Kejriwal’s allowance scheme for priests and gurudwara granthis, Trivedi questioned why the implementation wasn’t immediate, given AAP’s current governance in Delhi.
“You must have heard about ‘bagula bhagat’. There is a ‘bhakt’ (devotee) and there is a ‘bagula bhagat’ (pretentious devotee)… He must implement it,” he stated to journalists.
Trivedi also raised questions about Kejriwal’s previous opposition to temples and the Ram temple, contrasting it with his current initiative to register potential scheme beneficiaries.
“They should implement it. You (AAP) are still in power, not a party aspiring for power,” Trivedi added.
The BJP spokesperson enumerated 10 alleged AAP government shortcomings in Delhi, including unfulfilled promises of removing dangerous electrical wiring, providing continuous clean water supply and establishing world-class education.
He cited additional failures including Delhi’s pollution control, Yamuna river cleaning, healthcare improvements, waste management, women’s security, colony infrastructure and permanent housing for slum residents.
“They didn’t do these things. AAP convenor Kejriwal, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and others from the party have been arrested in connection with various corruption cases,” the BJP leader stated.
Trivedi concluded, “This is not new politics, but the same old Congress politics” that the Arvind Kejriwal-led party has been pursuing. “There was a super PM during the Congress-led UPA regime; here we have a super CM in the AAP government,” he remarked, apparently referencing former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi.
