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Shah slams AAP for supporting anti-CAA protests, “failing” to deliver on promises
New Delhi:
New Delhi:
Launching the BJP’s hyper-local, “nationalism-focused” campaign ahead of the Delhi elections, Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday targeted the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress for backing what he called the “tukde-tukde gang” and the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests at Shaheen Bagh and other parts of the city.
Shah hit out at Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying he “forgot the promises” he made to the people of Delhi during the last assembly elections.
The home minister also alleged Kejriwal and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke in tune with Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan on the CAA issue.
“They oppose everything we do...Rahul (Gandhi) will say something and soon after, Kejriwal will say it, and then I find Imran Khan is giving the same statement. Rahul, Kejriwal and Imran Khan speak the same language,” Shah said at Kakrola village in south-west Delhi’s Matiala assembly segment.
Shah’s comments came after Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia told a news channel that “he stands with the people of Shaheen Bagh”.
“His (Kejriwal’s) deputy (Manish) says he is standing with the protesters of Shaheen Bagh. Their government instigated riots here. Do you want a government that works for the people or one that instigate riots?” Shah asked.
The Aam Aadmi Party refused to respond to Shah’s comments.
Shah addressed two public meetings in the Matiala and Nagloi Jat assembly segments and did a roadshow in the Uttam Nagar constituency. BJP chief JP Nadda addressed a group meeting in Palam. The party has planned nearly 5,000 group meetings as part of its campaign for the February 8 assembly elections.
Shah took a dig at Kejriwal on the issue of development work, which AAP is projecting as its main poll plank. Alleging that Kejriwal had forgotten his past promises, Shah said, “If there is a competition in the country of making false promises, Kejriwal would definitely get the first prize. I have come to remind you that you forgot the promises you made, but neither the people of Delhi nor BJP workers have forgotten.”
Asking the people to support the BJP, Shah said at Matiala, “You gave three terms to the Congress and then supported Kejriwal. I’m starting the assembly election campaign from Matiala, so it’s your responsibility that the first seat should come from Matiala. Please give one chance to Modiji and I promise you to make Delhi a world-class city,” Shah said. He said AAP didn’t win any election in Delhi after the 2015 assembly polls.
The BJP leader accused the Kejriwal government of stalling the central government’s public welfare schemes in Delhi. ”Aayushman Bharat was not implemented here by Kejriwal’s due to political rivalry. They fear beneficiaries would vote for BJP. Since you (Kejriwal) have not implemented this scheme here, every poor will now vote for BJP. There are 112 public welfare schemes but the only roadblock is Kejriwal. Remove this roadblock and all these schemes will reach your household,” he said.
Shah said the AAP government could not construct even a single flyover and failed to clean the Yamuna. “You couldn’t clean Yamuna but supplied dirty water and compelled the people of Delhi to drink it,” he said.
Raising the issue of unauthorised colonies, he said the AAP government had promised to regularise these areas but when a request was sent to the Delhi government thrice, nothing happened. “So we ourselves decided to give you home for just Rs 5,000. They had promised jahan jhuggi wahan makan, but it didn’t happen. In the next five years, the BJP government would give pucca houses to every jhuggi resident,” he said.
