The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday raked up the '80-20' remark made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the run-up to the February-March Assembly election. With fuel prices rising continuously over the past few days, AAP's Sanjay Singh attacked the centre, saying '80-20' meant the BJP would increase petrol and diesel prices by 80 paise each for 20 consecutive days. Fuel prices increased by a cumulative ₹9.20 this morning after rates were revised for the 13th time in 15 days.
"During the entire election in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP kept saying that we are contesting on 80-20. They were trying to say that we will continue to increase the price of petrol and diesel by 80-80 paise continuously for 20 days. That's what they do, giving sweet poison," news agency ANI quoted Singh.
The '80-20' remark - which led to backlash by the opposition who said it had the potential of inciting communal tension - was made by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath in January. "It will be an 80% versus 20% in UP polls and the BJP will retain power," he had said at a conclave organised by state-run broadcaster Doordarshan. The chief minister also said his party would fight the Assembly election on the planks of nationalism, good governance, and development.
Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should call an all-party meeting and keep the truth in front of the country, Singh added: "But he is not going to do so. There should be an open discussion in a democracy. But the question will arise that even when the price of crude oil was low in the international market, he did not reduce it, and when the crude oil price increased, he did not increase it. But as soon as the elections are over, he started giving the excuse of an increase in crude oil prices in the international market. To increase inflation, the BJP presents a very weak argument."
{{/usCountry}}Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should call an all-party meeting and keep the truth in front of the country, Singh added: "But he is not going to do so. There should be an open discussion in a democracy. But the question will arise that even when the price of crude oil was low in the international market, he did not reduce it, and when the crude oil price increased, he did not increase it. But as soon as the elections are over, he started giving the excuse of an increase in crude oil prices in the international market. To increase inflation, the BJP presents a very weak argument."
{{/usCountry}}Singh also slammed the centre over the bill to merge the three municipal corporations of Delhi - the subject of another row between the BJP and the AAP.
"The bill of MCD integration is a bill to tangle the soul of India and the Constitution. According to the constitution, the state government and the Vidhan Sabha has the right to conduct elections in the municipality and to make laws regarding the municipalities (reading the constitution). This unconstitutional bill is being passed in Parliament," he said.
He further added that "Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should admit that they are scared of Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi. The MCD integration bill was opposed in the Lok Sabha and it will be opposed in the Rajya Sabha as well. No one is in support of it and all the opposition parties will oppose it in Rajya Sabha today, as it is a dictatorship to snatch the rights of the states."
Singh further claimed, "The central government is behind AAP. As soon as our government was formed in Delhi, continuous work was done against us here."
Singh also weighed in on the tug-of-war between Punjab (where the AAP is now in power after a thumping win in the February election) and BJP-ruled Haryana over Chandigarh.
"When the government was formed in Punjab, it went against the system of reorganization of the Act of 1966 and decided to implement the Central Service Rule in Chandigarh. The central government should intervene in this and find a solution by making all the leaders sit together," he said.