Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday slammed the AAP as an “aapda” [disaster] for Delhi, saying this “aapda” has taken Delhi in its grip in the past 10 years, sounding the poll bugle ahead of the Assembly polls in the state.
The Sanskrit word "aapda" means disaster, catastrophe. Simply put, PM Modi implied that the AAP's coming to power in Delhi was an event which has caused serious harm to the people of Delhi.
Modi was addressing people at Delhi’s Ashok Vihar, where he inaugurated infra projects worth Rs 4,500 crore , including in housing and education sectors, Modi hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party government and said the situation in the national capital would worsen if its reign continued.
“This year will usher in a new politics of nation-building and people’s welfare. Therefore, ‘aapda’ has to be removed, and the BJP brought in,” he said.
His comments received a sharp response from Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. He said, “Today, PM Modi gave a speech of 43 minutes, in which he abused the people of Delhi and the government they chose for around 39 minutes”.
Here’s what the PM said and the response of the chief minister.
Modi said he could also have built a “sheesh mahal” for himself, but his dream was to ensure homes for everyone in the country.
“The country knows that Modi never built a home for himself. But in these past 10 years, 4 crore citizens have been given houses. I could have also built a Sheesh Mahal. But my dream was to give my citizens a house,” Modi said.
The BJP has been targeting Kejriwal for allegedly spending a huge amount of money on his official residence when he was chief minister, and described his erstwhile home as “sheesh mahal”.
Kejriwal replied, “One who builds a house worth Rs 2,700 crore for himself, who travels in an airplane worth Rs 8,400 crore, and who wears a Rs 10 lakh suit, talking about ‘sheesh mahal’ doesn’t suit his mouth. I don’t indulge in personal accusations or the politics of abuses.”
Kejriwal also criticised BJP’s election manifesto of 2020.
“In 2020, PM Modi made several promises to the people of Delhi. The BJP’s ‘Sankalp Patra’ stated that everyone in Delhi would get a pucca house by 2022. But since then, the Centre has handed over keys to only 1,700 houses. Before that, they handed over 3,000 houses in Kalkaji. So, they have built 4,700 houses in five years, while Delhi has 4 lakh jhuggis and 15 lakh people needing homes,” Kejriwal said. “The BJP is the enemy of the poor. They have rendered over two lakh people homeless by demolishing slums in Delhi. Had they worked in these 10 years, maybe they wouldn’t need to abuse the people of Delhi so much today. One who works doesn’t abuse; one who doesn’t work contests elections on the basis of abuse.”
PM Modi also said that if highways are being built in the capital and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has been able to make houses for the poor, it is because “aapda” does not have much role in these sectors.
“These people commit corruption and then glorify it,” Modi said.
In his retort, the Delhi CM started with saying that Modi’s speech was 43 minutes, of which he abused the people of Delhi and their elected government for 39 minutes.
The BJP and the AAP have been in a head on tussle ahead of the Assembly polls, expected to be held sometime next month.
Earlier, on Monday, a controversy took place after AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal announced the ‘Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana’ on Monday, pledging a monthly allowance of Rs 18,000 for Hindu temple priests and gurdwara granthis if his party is re-elected. The BJP called the step a political stunt.
