Arvind Kejriwal lists 5-point plan, urges all parties to join up

The plan, Kejriwal said, would help establish India as the world’s 'number one country', adding that the national campaign will focus on public health care, free education and jobs among five specific areas.

New Delhi: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday outlined a mission that he said will help establish India as the world’s “number one country”, announcing the start of national campaign that will focus on public health care, free education and jobs among five specific areas of focus.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal waves holding a national flag during the launch of 'Make India No. 1' mission, at Talkatora Stadium, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI photo)

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief, whose outfit won the Punjab election earlier this year and is now planning to challenge established rivals such as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress in other regions such as Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, said he will travel across the country to drum up support for his vision.

“There was a time when India was the greatest country and its praises sung all across the world. Today, we have to make India the world’s number one country. We have to make India great again,” Kejriwal said in a 20-minute speech in the Capital.

The CM’s comments also packed slants at the BJP and Congress. He said India will regress by 75 years if left to “other parties and politicians” who work for their “friends and families alone” in comments that underscored the party’s national ambitions ahead of the 2024 general elections.

Kejriwal, however, said it was an “apolitical mission” and that people from all parties, including the BJP and Congress should join.

“We have to stop these fights. We have wasted 75 years in fighting. BJP, Congress, AAP, Hindu Muslim, Pandit — everyone is fighting each other. We have to live like a family, end hatred for this mission to succeed,” he added.

The “Make India No.1” goal will rest on five key areas: free, quality education for 270 million school students, good health care services, jobs for every young person, adequate compensation for farmers as well as respect, and equality and security for all women.

Modi’s ‘panch pran’

Kejriwal’s “Make India No. 1” plan comes two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his August 15 address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, laid down the “panch pran”, or five resolutions the nation must fulfil to become a developed country by its 100th year of Independence in 2047.

Modi’s five pledges included creating big aspirations, uprooting all signs of colonial slavery from mindsets and habits, exhibiting pride in India’s heritage, safeguarding its unique unity in diversity, and focusing on the duties of a citizen. The Prime Minister also spoke about ensuring the dignity of women, and the push for a sellf-reliant India, or Atmanirbhar Charat, in his speech.

“Since Independence, India has achieved a lot, Kejriwal said on Wednesday. “But Indians are angry and asking why several countries that gained freedom after us have done better,” he added, as he cited examples of Singapore, Japan and Germany as nations that have either built or rebuilt themselves over the past seven-and-a-half decades.

Since romping to power in Punjab during the assembly elections earlier this year, the AAP under Kejriwal’s leadership has set its sights on expanding its footprint to other states, including Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, where senior leaders of the party have carried out extensive rallies. If voted to power, the party has promised to extend the ‘Delhi and Punjab model’ of governance, which will include “world-class” public schools and hospitals, 300 units of free power and free water.

On Wednesday, the Delhi chief minister said the country has “wasted 75 years on infighting”, as he exhorted citizens to set their differences aside and live like a family to make India a developed country.

Over the past few weeks, especially in the backdrop of a raging debate on the role “freebies” in politics,” Kejriwal has argued for making the world’s “number one country”, a target that he has said can be met only on the foundations of a strong welfare system.

“We are launching this as a national mission. It will be called ‘Make India No. 1’ and every citizen of country will have to join this mission,” Kejriwal said while addressing the gathering, which also included Delhi ministers Gopal Rai, Rajendra Pal Gautam and Imran Hussain.

“First, no matter how much money we need to spend, we will have to make arrangements for free and quality education... Second, we need to ensure good quality, free health care for every citizen... Third, we have to ensure jobs for every single youngster. Not one person should be jobless and this can be done if the intent is right,” he stated.

Fourth, women in the country should be treated as equals, he said, arguing that this push needed to come from every home.

The fifth goal is to ensure farmers are paid fairly for their work, he said.

“The children of farmers don’t want to become farmers. We will have to ensure that farmers get adequate compensation for their hard work,” he said.

Freebie controversy

A promise of any free state service is likely to turn political, with the BJP, led by Prime Minister Modi, having launched an attack over what they call is “revdi” (freebie) culture. The BJP argues freebies are not sustainable and focus should instead be on infrastructure and efforts like capital expenditure, while its rivals have sought to differentiate freebies meant to sway political opinion from legitimate efforts to make crucial services like health and education free, as is the case in several other countries.

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta asked why Delhi is “lagging on every front for the last 8 years”.

“Is this how India will become number one?” he asked.

Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar said that before announcing such a plan, Kejriwal should focus on developing the “deteriorating” Capital.