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Kejriwal counters PM Modi's ‘revari’ culture jibe. Here's what the Delhi CM said
After inaugurating the Bundelkhand Expressway, PM Modi had said, "In our country today, attempts are being made to bring a culture of garnering votes by distributing 'revadis'. This 'revadi culture' is very dangerous for the development of the country."
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's jibe on freebies, whom the latter dubbed as ‘revari politics’.
“I have been accused of distributing revaris (sweets), freebies. I am being abused. I want to ask the people of India, where am I wrong?” the Delhi chief minister remarked during his briefing.
“I am providing free quality education to the poor children of Delhi. Am I distributing revaris? Before we came to power, the plight of Delhi government schools was miserable. The future of 18 lakh children was in the dark due to poor infrastructure. Is it a crime to provide good education to these children free of cost?” Kejriwal asked.
Without naming anyone, the Delhi chief minister said, "Those who are abusing me have purchased a private jet for themselves by spending thousands of crore rupees. Kejriwal doesn't buy jets for himself, but saves the money and makes travel free of cost for women in Delhi."
“I am educated, having studied engineering, accounting and law. My educational degree is not fake. Despite free schemes, the Delhi government budget is not at loss. The CAG has said since the Kejriwal government coming into power, the capital's budget is under profit,” the chief minister said.
“A corporate firm took loan from the banks and left them bankrupt. It donated some crores of rupees to a political party. But the government didn't take any action against the government. This is a revari,” Kejriwal said.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had warned against what he called the politics of distributing freebies.
"In our country today, attempts are being made to bring a culture of garnering votes by distributing 'revadis'. This 'revadi culture' is very dangerous for the development of the country. People of the country and especially the youth need to guard against this culture," PTI had quoted the prime minister, in an apparent dig at the Aam Aadmi Party's promise of providing 300 units of free electricity in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh.
