ADVERTISEMENT

Rahul Gandhi challenges Arvind Kejriwal to drink Yamuna water

The Congress leader says it is his guarantee that Kejriwal will not assure that he will breach 50% cap on reservation because he is also like Modi

Rahul Gandhi. PTI picture.

PTI
Published 29.01.25, 08:27 PM

Stepping up his attack on AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that the former Delhi chief minister is opposed to reservations and is against Dalits, backwards, minorities and the poor.

Addressing an election rally in Bawana here, Gandhi said he and his party do not fear Prime Minister Narendra Modi and on the contrary, "the PM is afraid of the Congress".

ADVERTISEMENT

He also attacked Kejriwal with the 'sheesh mahal' jibe for the second straight day and said that though he talked about clean governance, the "biggest scam" in Delhi took place under his watch.

Gandhi said Kejriwal reneged on his promise of bathing in and drinking Yamuna water and challenged him to drink the water from the river.

He said both Prime Minister Modi and Kejriwal are opposed to reservations and are against Dalits, minorities, backwards and the poor.

"Kejriwal should say clearly that he would get caste survey done and breach the wall of 50 per cent cap on reservation, but he will not do so as he is against Dalits, backwards and minorities. When riots were taking place, where was he. Did he stand with you?" Gandhi said, slamming the former chief minister.

Training his guns specifically on Kejriwal, Gandhi said he used to move around in a small car wearing muffler and claim that he will do clean politics but the biggest scam in Delhi worth crores of rupees was done by his party and his people.

"He (Kejriwal) ran a corrupt government. Modi ji lies in his speeches and just like him, Kejriwal does the same. Five years ago, he (Kejriwal) had stated that he will take a bath in the Yamuna and drink its water. Five years have gone by and he did not do so. You have to drink dirty water but Kejriwal lives in 'sheesh mahal' which is worth crores and lies to you," the former Congress chief said.

Gandhi said he had told PM Modi in Parliament that the Congress will get a caste census done.

"When our government comes in Delhi, we will do a caste census. I had said that we will breach the wall of 50 per cent cap on reservations. We will break down this wall. I want to ask Kejriwal whether he wants to remove the 50 per cent cap on reservation. Kejriwal and Modi ji are against reservation and are against Dalits, minorities, backwards and the poor," Gandhi said.

The Congress leader said it is his guarantee that Kejriwal will not assure that he will breach 50 per cent cap on reservation because he is also like Modi.

He also hit out at the media, saying that instead of focussing on real issues, it only shows Ambani's wedding, Modi's face and talk of hatred 24x7.

"Modi and RSS have spread hatred and they make people of different religions, caste and languages fight and hand over your money to people like Adani and Ambani. The Modi government has waived off loans worth Rs 16 lakh crore of billionaires," he said, attacking the central government.

He also claimed that no matter what people do, they will not get employment under Modi and Kejriwal governments.

Gandhi also asserted that the Congress is party with an ideology and does not make false promises.

"We have to open shops to spread love in Modi's market of hate," Gandhi said.

He said people can see his past speeches and they will not be able to point out even one lie in his remarks.

"I and the Congress party never lie, we had said loans will be waived off, there will be a caste census, women will get free bus rides in Karnataka, Telangana. These promises were fulfilled by the Congress (in these states). Whenever any citizen in India is attacked, tortured or faces injustice, Rahul Gandhi is seen standing there to help," he said.

The Congress talks about employment, development and progress, he asserted.

"During Sheila (Dikshit) ji's time, roads were built in Delhi, development took place because we do not make false promises. But both Kejriwal and Narendra Modi make false promises 24 hours a day," Gandhi said.

The Congress leader had launched a blistering attack on Kejriwal on Tuesday as well in his poll rallies in Patparganj and Okhla. He had said the former chief minister came talking about bringing in clean politics but the biggest "liquor scam" took place in Delhi under his watch, while he got engrossed in "sheesh mahal politics".

The BJP has often used the 'sheesh mahal' jibe to attack Kejriwal with allegations of corruption in the renovation of the chief minister's residence when he was the CM.

The Congress and the AAP are part of the INDIA bloc. The two parties had fought the Lok Sabha elections together in Delhi, but are contesting the February 5 assembly polls separately.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

Rahul Gandhi Arvind Kejriwal Congress Yamuna River Pollution Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)
Follow us on:
ADVERTISEMENT