NEW DELHI:
Amidst the ongoing budget session in the assembly, Saturday witnessed an extensive deliberation on Delhi’s fiscal plan. CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal, commending the budgetary provisions, emphasized its comprehensive approach towards addressing the needs of every segment and sector. With a focus on women empowerment, this year’s budget targets the uplift of mothers and sisters, as highlighted by the announcement of ₹1,000 allocation for every woman above 18 years old.
Delhi CM further emphasized on the contrasting governance paradigms prevalent in the nation today, the developmental model of “AAP” against the destruction model of the BJP. While the AAP spearheads initiatives to enhance government institutions, provide essential services like free 24×7 electricity, and facilitate pilgrimage for elderly, the BJP’s approach leans towards obstructing the endeavours of opposition governments through institutions like the ED and CBI. Asserting the imperative of solidarity, CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal urged Delhiites to rally against forces hindering crucial services such as Mohalla Clinics, education, and free electricity, emphasizing collective action to save the city from such ‘enemies’.
The budget presented by Finance Minister Atishi was discussed in the assembly on Saturday. During this, remembering former Finance Minister Shri Manish Sisodia, CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal addressed the house, saying that this is the 10th budget of their government.
Speaking on Delhi’s budget, Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “We are discussing the budget, and today, on the tenth budget, we are remembering Shri Manish Sisodia Ji. Before this, Shri Manish Sisodia Ji had presented 9 budgets in the assembly, and I hope that he will present next year’s budget. In his absence, Atishi Ji, as the finance minister, has presented today’s budget in the parliament assembly, and I congratulate her that this budget is very good. It takes into account all sections of society and all sectors, whether it’s education, health, electricity, water, roads, drainage; everyone’s needs, whether rich or poor, from any caste, youth or elderly, have been taken care of in this budget. I congratulate her immensely for presenting this budget.”
“In the year 2014-15, two significant events occurred in this country. In May 2014, the people of the country gave a strong mandate to Modi Ji and the BJP, with 282 seats in the centre. For the first time, within the same year, their government was formed. Towards the end of this year, in February 2015, the people of Delhi gave a huge mandate by giving 67 out of 70 seats, forming a new government in Delhi under the Aam Aadmi Party with a heavy mandate. When the people form a government with a strong mandate, obviously there is a lot of hope from those governments. Both these governments have presented two types of governance models in the past 10 years, and both these governance models are such that they guarantee victory in elections. Their model wins elections, our model wins elections too. One governance model is a development model, and the other governance model is a model of destruction,” the AAP National Convenor said.
Shri Arvind Kejriwal further added that the Aam Aadmi Party, which received a heavy mandate in February 2015, didn’t have any power. “In Delhi, we didn’t have the police, we didn’t have the Lieutenant Governor (LG), we didn’t have any power at all. But slowly and steadily, fighting, and pleading, we fixed schools, fixed hospitals, gave a future to people’s children, gave the dream of becoming a doctor or engineer to the poor children, and fulfilled their dreams. If someone falls ill in a house, arrangements for the best treatment have been made, 24×7 free electricity has been ensured, water is being provided free, we are arranging pilgrimage trips for the elderly, we did so much work that the people are very happy, we won the hearts of the people. This was the AAP’s development model. After that, we continuously won the elections _ the elections in 2020 and MCD election _ continuously winning all elections with heavy mandates. Now the budget that has been presented, the people are saying that all 7 Lok Sabha seats will be ours this time,” he added.
The Delhi CM mentioned that in May 2014, the BJP received a heavy mandate with 280 seats, and they adopted the other governance model, which is a model of destruction. This model of destruction has two parts: one part is to crush, eliminate, buy MLAs, break, arrest, put in jail, use the ED, and use the CBI, against the opposition party leaders, so no one will be left to contest the elections, then only they will remain. The second part is where they systematically eliminate the opposition, topple governments, break MLAs, arrest them, and threaten them. The second part of their destruction model is that if anywhere in the country the opposition government is doing good work, then halt their work, they (BJP) don’t do good work themself, and stop others from doing good work. It’s not like the country didn’t give them (BJP) chances to do good work, they have been ruling Gujarat for 30 years, and in 30 years, they haven’t fixed a single government school.
Narrating an incident, Shri Arvind Kejriwal stated, “Recently, during the elections in the Gujarat Assembly, one day the Prime Minister felt the way Manish Sisodia goes to school every day and sits at the desk and his photos are clicked. The PM also wanted his photos to be taken sitting at a desk in a government school in Gujarat. So, the PM decided to go to a government school in Gujarat and take photos sitting at a desk among the children. They searched for one school all over Gujarat, in 30 years of rule, they couldn’t find a school where the Prime Minister could go and take photos with respect. So, a tent was set up and five children were made to sit inside the tent, four desks were arranged, a fake teacher was made to sit in front, and there the Prime Minister’s photos were taken.”
“The next day when our party workers reached there, there was no tent, no classroom, no school, no teacher, no children. It’s not like the country didn’t give them a chance, they could have won the hearts of the people. If they had done some work, today they wouldn’t have needed the ED, CBI, police, and income tax. The people would have said the same thing for them, as they say about us in Delhi. In Delhi, we don’t have any power, we haven’t left ED behind anyone, they are flourishing, and even the entire opposition is flourishing. But we are in the hearts of the people of Delhi,” he added.
The AAP National Convenor shared that today, they (BJP) have no shortage of money, no one knows how much money they have earned. Now, when the Supreme Court asked about electoral bonds, who gave how much money to whom, it’s not even known which party gave how much to whom. Electoral bonds are just a straight number, and funds which aren’t from the electoral bonds, the ‘2 number’ (corruption), who knows how much such money they have earned. MLAs are being bought for ₹25 crore to ₹100 crore, and this is happening in the entire country. In Uttarakhand, people formed a Congress government, under Harish Rawat, they (BJP) bought and broke MLAs, and they toppled the government of Uttarakhand. They toppled the governments of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, and Arunachal Pradesh, and now they are going to topple the government of Himachal Pradesh in a few days. And then they say we win, they don’t win, they topple governments.
“This is how they (BJP) make governments; they systematically break parties one by one. Within Maharashtra, people formed a Maha Vikas Aghadi government, under the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress. A good government was running, those people were doing good work, they broke Shiv Sena into two pieces using the ED and the CBI, they broke all their MLAs. Using the ED and the CBI, they broke the MLAs of the NCP and toppled the government there. Their formula is don’t leave any opposition in front, if there is no opposition, then what will the elections be about, then only they will get the votes. Put everyone in jail, no one will be left in front. They say if not Modi, then who, why do they say so, if everyone is put in jail, then who is left? If not Modi, then put everyone in jail. This is their highly successful formula,” he added.
Shri Arvind Kejriwal said that now they are saying something new, they (BJP) are winning 370 seats in the Lok Sabha, now this will continue for the next 5 years, they are trying to say that now they don’t need the 140-crore people of this country, now they don’t need your vote. If you want to come to vote, then come, they don’t need your vote. They are getting 370 seats because there is no one left to fight against them. Within a few days, they will finish the entire opposition. Hitler also did the same thing, Hitler did it in three months, and they took ten years. Now they are saying that they don’t need anyone. This is ending democracy; this is treason against the country. I was thinking in my mind that if Shri Ramchandra Ji were in this era today, then they (BJP) would have sent the ED and the CBI to his house, and would have kept guns and asked, ‘’Son, are you coming to the BJP, will you go to jail?”
“And now they want to crush the Aam Aadmi Party because the Aam Aadmi Party can challenge them in the future in the entire country. The AAP is the fastest growing party and the AAP supporters are not under their control. They put Manish Sisodia Ji, Satyendar Jain Ji, and Sanjay Singh Ji in jail. Now they are preparing to put me in jail. Planning is complete. There are many friends in the BJP, I was talking to them, there are also good people in the BJP, not everyone is bad. The BJP people informed me that first, they will put me in jail, then will topple the AAP government. The first thing they’ll do after toppling the government is stopping the free 24×7 electricity scheme,” he said.
The Delhi CM further informed that they (BJP) say that they are facing problems in the entire country, because of this. In no BJP state, they have provided free electricity to the people. “AAP is providing free electricity in Delhi and Punjab, and wherever you go you’ll promise free electricity, but we (BJP) can’t do this. Since we (BJP) take money, hence we wouldn’t have this much budget. Free electricity and filling our pockets can’t be done at once. After this, we (BJP) will destroy your schools. We couldn’t make excellent schools in Gujarat, MP, and Rajasthan.” Then they’ll close Mohalla Clinics and then hospitals. The BJP has done entire planning, first to arrest Kejriwal then destroy Delhi.
Shri Arvind Kejriwal expressed, “They have sent me so many notices as if I’m the biggest terrorist in the country. I think that they should send a few notices to terrorists instead. I have received 8 summonses from the ED, and they say, the 9th one is on the way. I want to announce in this House that eight summonses have come, eight new schools will be built in Delhi.”
“A BJP person has rightly said that if you want to hate Kejriwal, then do it with caution O friend; if you see his schools and hospitals, then you will fall in love with Kejriwal,” he said.
Referring to BR Ambedkar’s popularity the world over, Shri Arvind Kejriwal said Columbia University, a university in America that is one of the best universities in the world, has the statue of Baba Saheb Ambedkar at its entrance. “Baba Saheb Ambedkar had gone to Columbia University around 1913 to study. The authorities at the Columbia University said that among all the students who went to study there, the best student was Baba Saheb Ambedkar. So, this shows that intelligence is not dependent on money. Baba Saheb Ambedkar was very poor. So, this shows that intelligence is not a monopoly of any caste. There can be intelligent people in any caste, so we should be proud of Baba Saheb Ambedkar, whose statue is there in the London School of Economics as well. Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s dream was that every child of this country, whether he is rich or poor, irrespective of his caste should get good education. Baba Saheb Ambedkar is or ideal, we display his photo in our homes and offices also. Today we are trying to fulfill his dream and may Baba Saheb Ambedkar and God bless us that we fulfill his dream,” he said.
Talking about the hurdles put by the BJP-ruled Central government and LG, the Delhi Chief Minister said, “But whatever work we try to do in Delhi today, the BJP people _ as I said, theirs is a model of destruction _ these BJP people try to stop every work. But I did not let any work of the people of Delhi stop, they (BJP) definitely delayed it. Even after almost 9 years in Delhi, we were able to build 530 mohalla clinics. In Punjab, our government has been formed and it is a full government. Within two years we have built 830 mohalla clinics in Punjab because there was nobody to stop them. I had to fight so much when we initially set up Mohalla Clinics, the LG did not pass the file for two years. The file kept going up and down for two years. Tell me, if the people of Delhi had got good treatment, what problems would they (BJP) face? They had only one problem that if Kejriwal does good work, they will not get votes. So, this is a model of destruction, not allowing good work to be done, not allowing people from the opposition to do good work. We built mohalla clinics on the roads in Delhi. At that time, it was their (BJP) government in MCD, they sent bulldozers and demolished the mohalla clinics of Delhi government. Was it an illegal encroachment, can the Mohalla Clinic of Delhi Government be considered an illegal encroachment? They got the Mohalla Clinic of Delhi Government demolished by sending bulldozers from the MCD. But I too was not going to stop, I am the son of the people of Delhi. We did not stop, 530 mohalla clinics are running in every corner of Delhi today, and more are being built now.”
Recounting the instances that how each time the BJP-led central government and the LG tried to stall the schemes in Delhi, Shri Arvind Kejriwal said we wanted to install CCTV cameras in Delhi, they stopped the CCTV cameras. “LG moved the file up and down for 2 years, when LG did not sign the file, I, Gopal Rai, Satyendar Jain and Manish Sisodia staged a protest inside LG’s house and got the file signed, work stopped. Didn’t give. But it would have happened 2 years ago if LG had passed it,” he said.
The Delhi Chief Minister said we wanted to implement delivery of door-to-door ration scheme, but they did not allow us to pass that ration scheme. “Just last week, I went to Punjab and implemented the door-to-door ration scheme. People in Punjab have started getting ration. I have full hope that one day I will do it for the people of Delhi,” he said.
Shri Arvind Kejriwal recalled how last year, for two months they (BJP) stopped medicines in the hospitals of Delhi. “These people stopped the salaries of the operators engaged for doing registration of patients in the hospitals of Delhi. These (BJP) people will be cursed. They feel that they have become God. But God is up above, God is watching their sins. In our Hindu religion it is said that there is a next birth, this soul takes another body in the next birth, what will be their condition. They stopped medicine supply, tests, rent and disconnected power supply of Mohalla Clinics. But I resumed all these facilities at Mohalla Clincs in Delhi,” he said.
Telling the House the difference between the AAP and the BJP by narrating the story of Gautam Buddha, Shri Arvind Kejriwal said: “We have been listening to the story of Gautam Buddha. Son of a king, his name was Siddharth Gautam when he was a child. One day when Siddhartha was roaming in the garden suddenly a swan fell in front of him. That swan was hit by an arrow. Siddhartha picked up the bird, took out the arrow, bandaged its wound and saved its life. Meanwhile, Siddhartha’s cousin Devdutt came running and said that this bird is mine. I have shot him down with an arrow. Siddhartha says I have saved it, this bird is mine; Devdutt says I have killed it, it is mine. So, both the brothers go to the king and stake their claims. The king says let both the brothers stand separately and the bird be kept in the middle, the bird will decide who it wants to go with. So, the bird slowly goes towards Siddharth. We have been listening to this story since childhood. It is said that the one who saves is greater than the one who kills. Today, in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party is Siddharth, the BJP is Devdutt and the swan is the people of Delhi. The BJP is firing arrows at the people of Delhi every day, killing the people of Delhi every day and the Aam Aadmi Party is applying balm and saving the people of Delhi. And apparently, the people of Delhi are coming towards the Aam Aadmi Party.”
The Delhi Chief Minister said that I love the people of Delhi very much, and the people of Delhi love me very much. I always say that I was a very small man and the people of Delhi, with so much love and trust, placed a man like me on such a big position and gave him such a big responsibility. Today, if there is any problem in any family of Delhi, I feel pain in the heart. I try my best to alleviate the problems of the people of Delhi. I don’t know what this relationship is called. There is something from the past lives between me and the people of Delhi that today in this life, the people of Delhi have suddenly given me such a big position, so much trust and so much love, he added.
Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, I want to tell the people of Delhi that we have to identify the enemies of Delhi. “Who are the enemies of Delhi? Those who are stopping the medicines of the people of Delhi are the enemies of Delhi, those who are stopping the schools of the children of Delhi are the enemies of Delhi. Those who are stopping the construction of Mohalla Clinics in Delhi are the enemies of Delhi. Those who are stopping electricity subsidy and electricity for the people of Delhi are the enemies of Delhi. Today, 2.5 crore people of Delhi will have to come together and punish these enemies, these enemies will have to be expelled from Delhi permanently. Enough of these people,” he said.
The Delhi Chief Minister said I am very happy that in this budget, Rs 1,000 has been announced for every woman above 18 years of age. I was watching many videos on social media and some people have questions which I want to clarify. “There are many women in every family who are eligible. It is not that only one woman from one family will get it, if in any family there is a mother, a daughter-in-law, a daughter and all three are eligible, then each of the three will be given Rs. 1,000 separately under this scheme,” he said.
The Delhi Chief Minister said the BJP people are strongly opposing it. They say what is the need to give money to women, women will get spoiled, women are not responsible. “I don’t know why they (BJP) have so much problem with women. We think about every family in this country, we provide free electricity to people, if someone gets sick in their house, we treat them, we give Rs 1000 to each woman. We are not giving money to our billionaire friends like these people to their billionaire friends. (They feel) If Kejriwal gives so much money to the women, then there will be no money left for their billionaire friends to loot,” he said.
Shri Arvind Kejriwal said another big incident has happened that now the BJP is aping the AAP. “Earlier all these parties together used to say that they will come with a manifesto, they will come with a Sankalp Patra (resolution) before the elections. We started saying Kejriwal’s guarantee. Nowadays they are also giving guarantees. Jab bajne lagi khatre ki ghantiyan, to Modi ji ko yaad aayi Kejriwal ki guarantiyan (When alarm bells started ringing, Modi ji remembered Kejriwal’s guarantees). There are two models in front of the country, one is the model of development, and the other is model of destruction. Both models win elections. The people of the country have to decide whether they want development of the country or destruction of the country. But people will have to open their eyes and see what is going on in this country,” he said.
The Delhi Chief Minister concluded with congratulating Finance Minister Atishi and the entire House for presenting such a wonderful budget for the people of Delhi.
