Dhami says 'double-engine' govt to ensure Delhi's overall development

New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) A "double-engine" government in Delhi will ensure the national capital's overall development, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami declared on Sunday.

Addressing an election rally in Bawana, he said the Narendra Modi government provided relief to the middle class, with the Union Budget raising the exemption threshold for Income Tax to Rs 12 lakh from the earlier Rs 7 lakh.

This is going to directly benefit one crore middle-class people in Delhi, he asserted.

Under Modi's leadership, many infrastructure development works are underway around the country. All these works, which never happened after Independence, are being done in 10 years, he said.

"The prime minister is working for the common people's betterment. And the 'AAPda (disaster)' government in Delhi is only trying to create hurdles in development works. It has misled people by spreading false propaganda," Dhami alleged.

The Delhi Metro network was expanded from 190 kilometres to 400 kilometres and 135 new stations were added in the last 10 years. The extension of the Red Line that will pass through Bawana has been approved, he said.

The Delhi-Dehardun Expressway, which will cut travel time between the two cities to just two-and-half hours, is being constructed. Those who take flights will no longer opt for air travel in the future, Dhami added.

People around the country are getting free treatment through the Ayushman Bharat scheme but, unfortunately, Arvind Kejriwal has not implemented it in Delhi, he said.

"We have taken many historic decisions in Uttarakhand to preserve the state's cultural values. We freed 5,500 acres of land from encroachment," he added.

The BJP promised to implement a uniform civil code in Uttarakhand before the 2022 elections, Dhami said and added that his dispensation fulfilled that vow after the state's people broke a 22-year myth of flipping governments every five years by re-electing the saffron party.

Development is taking place in Uttarakhand because there is a "double-engine" government and people are now prioritising such dispensations. If a "double-engine" government is formed in Delhi, the national capital's overall development will also be ensured, he asserted.

Delhi's development came to a standstill during the past 10 years due to the "AAPda" government, the BJP leader alleged.

On one side, there is the BJP with its vision of a developed India while on the other is AAP and the Congress with a mission of appeasement, Dhami claimed.

AAP, which came to power by targeting corruption, has surpassed the Congress in terms of graft. It has not done anything except scams while in government, he alleged.

It had promised to open 500 schools but set up liquor vends in every street. It was involved in a "liquor scam" worth crores of rupees in which the-then chief minister and his deputy went to jail, Dhami said.

They have not been cleared of the charges, they were just released on bail, he pointed out.

"In every election, it (AAP) says it will clean the Yamuna. A few days ago, it was saying the Haryana government had mixed poison in the river. You have fallen to such a level that you are blaming others to hide your failures," Dhami said.

Elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly will be held on February 5, and the votes counted on February 8. PTI NIT NIT SZM SZM

Source: PTI