Arvind Kejriwal fires fresh salvo at BJP, says 'I should get a Nobel prize for...'
Arvind Kejriwal fires fresh salvo at BJP, says 'I should get a Nobel prize for...'
The AAP alleges that the Delhi government's one-time settlement scheme has hit a roadblock as the urban development secretary is "refusing" to present the proposal before the Council of Ministers.
Edited By: Raju Kumar@rajudelhi123New DelhiPublished : Feb 25, 2024 14:48 IST, Updated : Feb 25, 2024 14:58 IST
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, while addressing a public rally in the national capital on Sunday, said he should be awarded a Nobel prize for running the state government despite all the hurdles created by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"They (BJP) tried to stop the construction of schools and hospitals in Delhi. They do not want the poor to get the same level of education as their children. Only I know, how am I running the government in Delhi, I should get a Nobel prize for this, but to me your love is the Nobel prize..." Aam Aadmi Party national convenor said.
"I.N.D.I.A bloc will win all the seven seats of Delhi. We work for the development and progress of Delhiites, BJP people are busy in ruining Delhi and making Delhiites unhappy. The one who gives relief is greater than the one who kills," he targeted the saffron party.
"Water bills of 11 lakh houses in Delhi have increased since the time of Corona. There were bills amounting to Rs 3 Lakh to Rs 1 Lakh for some people but the water connection continued. If there were a BJP government then it would have cut off people's water connections. But as long as your son is alive, no one can dare to disconnect your connection," he added.
AAP will do everything to implement one-time settlement scheme, says Kejriwal
Kejriwal on Saturday met families in southeast Delhi's Govindpuri who claimed to have received inflated water bills and assured them that the issue would be resolved at the earliest. Interacting with the families, Kejriwal said his government will soon bring a scheme for a one-time settlement of water bills.
"We are looking into the issue of inflated water bills and plan to resolve this by bringing a one-time settlement scheme very soon. The policy got delayed as the BJP has been creating hurdles for us. However, we are working on bringing this scheme at the earliest," Kejriwal told Govindpuri residents, many of whom had gathered in the streets with their water bills.
He said the AAP will do everything to implement the scheme. "Even people with tiny houses have received bills worth lakhs of rupees. This problem started in the (COVID-19) pandemic as units were not noted in person during that time.
"There are 12 lakh families who have received inflated bills. Their bills will be fixed very soon and bills less than Rs 20,000 will be waived. The BJP is halting the scheme but we will do everything possible to implement it, even if it means that I have to go on a hunger strike," he said.
Kejriwal was accompanied by Delhi Water Minister Atishi. On Thursday, the chief minister had called an all-party meeting to discuss the one-time settlement scheme. The AAP MLAs tore and tossed copies of the "inflated" water bills inside the House and later burnt copies of the bills near the Gandhi statue in the assembly complex.
The Delhi Jal Board has provided 27 lakh water connections and nearly 10.5 lakh consumers have not paid bills claiming they were highly inflated.
