Delhi CM Kejriwal thanks PM Modi, Shah, Opposition MLAs

Kejriwal’s comments in the Assembly – a day after the Delhi government tabled the 2021-22 budget – put an end to a debate among Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators in the House over Covid-19 management.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday appreciated the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, the Central government and MLAs in the opposition, along with health workers and frontline workers, in helping the state control the Covid-19 crisis when cases in the Capital peaked.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal (PTI)

Kejriwal on Wednesday said in the Delhi Assembly: “The pandemic was truly a difficult time for all. For managing the crisis in Delhi, residents of the city, various organisations, Prime Minister, Home Minister, and Union government collaborated on a high scale. All our BJP MLAs too proved to be extremely helpful. The epidemic could not have been controlled by a government or individual.”

He further said, “However, the most important work was done by the doctors, health workers and other frontline workers..”

Kejriwal’s comments in the Assembly – a day after the Delhi government tabled the 2021-22 budget – put an end to a debate among Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators in the House over Covid-19 management.

Starting the discussion on the motion of thanks, government minister Gopal Rai said Covid-19 arrived in the country through passengers from abroad and appreciated the chief minister and health minister for making efforts to control the virus.

But, the Leader of the Opposition in the House Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said, “At a time when Covid-19 cases in Delhi were rising, the Central government stepped in and under the leadership of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah provided relief to the people of Delhi by setting up thousands of beds for patients, airlifting doctors and paramedics… The condition of Delhi government hospitals was such that deputy CM and health minister had to go to private hospital for Covid treatment.”