Delhi: Amit Shah gives AAP new name over ‘illegal income’

He alleged that the AAP has done no work in Delhi over the past decade, but has “told lies” in order to win votes

Union home minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah on Sunday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of filling its coffers through fraudulent means over the past decade, coining a new name for the party based on its acronym — “Aawaidh Aamdaniwali Party” (illegal income party).

Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Sunday. (ANI)

Speaking at a public rally in Narela in support of BJP’s Raj Karan Khatri, Shah alleged that the AAP has done no work in Delhi over the past decade, but has “told lies” in order to win votes.

“The AAP has only gathered votes by telling lies and moving forward. The Aam Aadmi Party now means Awaidh Aamdaniwali Party… They contest elections in Punjab, Gujarat, Goa with the money taken from Delhi... The state’s education minister opened liquor shops near temples and schools, and ruined a generation… [They] engaged in corruption worth thousands of crores… In the end, bade miyan and chhote miyan both went to jail,” Shah said, referring to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia.

The minister also alluded to Kejriwal’s arrest and subsequent bail in connection with alleged irregularities in the promulgation in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22, and said that his bail does not translate to “a clean chit”, as stated by the AAP.

‘Sheesh Mahal’ in focus

Shah said that Kejriwal, during the India Against Corruption movement that predated the AAP, had promised to not form a political party.

“He made a political party and then went back on his words on taking support from Congress, taking cars, security, and government bungalows. He went on to make Sheesh Mahal [a satirical name the BJP uses for the bungalow where Kejriwal stayed during his tenure as CM] by demolishing four bungalows. It has marble worth ₹6 crore, motorised curtains worth ₹4-6 crore, recliners for ₹10 lakh,” Shah said.

The minister alleged that the AAP was embroiled in a ₹28,000 crore Delhi Jal Board scam, a ₹5,400 crore ration distribution scam, a ₹4,500 crore Delhi Transport Corporation scam, and a ₹1300 crore class room construction scam. “I can go on... They have done scams worth thousands of crores,” he claimed.

‘Insulting’ Purvanchalis

Shah also accused Kejriwal of insulting the Purvanchali community — a colloquial name for people from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

“He calls them fake voters. Can’t brothers coming from UP and Bihar vote in Delhi? At the time of the pandemic, he made them leave Delhi,” Shah said.

He said that the AAP has “failed” to deliver on its promises made before previous polls — of cleaning the Yamuna, providing clean drinking water, a pollution-free air, and a garbage-free city, among other things.

“It has been ten years of their government. Can people take a dip in the Yamuna? Our Delhi unit chief took a dip in the Yamuna and was hospitalised. We made Kejriwal’s cutout take a dip in Yamuna and that too has got ill,” the minister said.

Reiterating the promises in the BJP manifesto, Shah said that Delhi’s women will receive a dole of ₹2,500 every month. “The BJP government will give LPG cylinders worth ₹500. We will implement Ayushman Bharat. BJP will also clean the Yamuna and develop the Yamuna riverfront. Residents of 1,700 unauthorised colonies will get ownership rights,” he said, adding that Delhi is free of “Bangladeshis and Rohingya in two years”.