BJP says AAP failed to fulfil promises, 'destroyed' Delhi; AAP MP hits back

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) Ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, the BJP on Sunday alleged that the AAP government in the capital failed to fulfil all of its key poll promises and "destroyed" the city.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh hit back at Puri, asking him to clarify if the BJP has delivered on its promises of giving Rs 15 lakh to every citizen, providing permanent housing, doubling farmers’ incomes, and creating two crore jobs annually.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, senior party leader and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri listed 10 promises, including cleaning the Yamuna and making Delhi pollution-free, that AAP made ahead of the 2020 polls but did not fulfil.

Targeting Arvind Kejriwal, Puri said the AAP national convener only "spreads lies" and did not make any effort to fulfil the promises his party made to voters.

Kejriwal came into politics saying that he would not accept big government bungalows and only travel in his Wagon R but built a 'sheesh mahal' for himself to live a luxurious life during his stint as Delhi chief minister, the BJP leader charged. AAP "destroyed" Delhi, he added.

Puri also targeted the AAP government in Punjab, saying the party had promised to end the menace of drugs in the border state but instead, the drug lords there got more "energy".

"From morning to evening, they (AAP) are only running advertisements (on TV channels). You have the right (to run advertisements) since you are paying for them. I am happy that TV channel owners are earning revenue by (running advertisements) about this 'nasha-mukt' leadership of Punjab," he said.

Singh said that the BJP has no right to question the Aam Aadmi Party. “Our work speaks loudly. In Punjab, we provided 300 units of free electricity, restored water to 30 dried-up canals, built excellent schools and hospitals, set up Mohalla Clinics, and provided 50,000 government jobs." The 70-member Delhi Assembly will go to polls on February 5 and votes will be counted on February 8.

In the 2015 and 2020 Delhi Assembly polls, AAP won 67 and 62 seats, respectively. The BJP won three seats in 2015 and eight in 2020, while the Congress drew a blank.

Puri slammed Kejriwal over his claim that the BJP will demolish all slums in Delhi if it is voted to power in the upcoming assembly elections, saying the AAP leader "talks nonsense".

"When Kejriwal started his political journey, some of us were present at Ramlila Maidan. We actually felt that it is going to be a big movement against corruption. We were also impressed by his personality," he said.

But, Kejriwal's actual "planning" gradually started "emerging", he said, adding, "He completely destroyed Delhi." The BJP leader said the AAP national convenor said his government will provide world class education to students in Delhi and promised to establish 500 schools in the city.

"Later, they moved from counting the number of schools to be established to the number of classrooms to be constructed and claimed that they have constructed 20,000 classrooms." he said.

Puri claimed that a Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) report, meanwhile, said that the AAP government could construct just 4,027 classrooms and it put the construction of toilets in schools also in the list.

"They kept hiding this report for two-and-a-half years," he said.

While AAP talks about providing world class education in Delhi, more than two lakh children are deprived of education in the national capital, he charged.

"They did not hire any new teacher or regular teacher over the past 10 years. There are 43,000 permanent teachers and 13,000 guest teachers in schools of Delhi, while they need 62,000 teachers. There is a shortfall of 6000 teachers," he added.

He alleged AAP came to power, promising world class healthcare facilities in Delhi but did not establish even a single new hospital or added any bed for patients in the existing hospitals in the city.

Puri alleged the AAP government did not implement the Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme and the PM Awas Yojna, keeping the people of Delhi deprived of their benefits and now making a "false promise of Sanjeevani Yojana" to the people.

The AAP government also tried to "obstruct" the expansion of the Delhi Metro network, he alleged.

"Kejriwal made promises to the public about housing, water, electricity, and healthcare, but all he delivered was deceit, fraud, and destruction. In 10 years, neither the Yamuna was cleaned nor did Delhi get rid of pollution," Puri said.

Hitting back, Singh said, “Puri should tell us where the black money they promised to bring back from abroad has gone. They claimed they would bring back black money in plane loads and distribute it. Has that been done?" he questioned.

"The BJP promised to provide permanent housing to everyone by August 15, 2022. Was that fulfilled? They claimed petrol would cost Rs 50 per litre and diesel Rs 40 per litre, but both have crossed Rs 100,” said the AAP leader.

He alleged "skyrocketing" inflation under the BJP government, and added, "A gas cylinder that used to cost Rs 400 is now priced at Rs 1,200. Inflation has reached record highs - pulses are Rs 250 per kilogram, mustard oil Rs 300 per litre, garlic Rs 300 per kilogram, tomatoes Rs 200 per kilogram, and onions Rs 300 per kilogram." The BJP has only "lied" to the people and caused increased inflation, black money, and corruption in the country, he charged. PTI PK VIT VIT MNK MNK

Source: PTI