AAP is original, BJP duplicating policies: Kejriwal in Goa
Darpan News Desk IANS, 21 Sep, 2021 11:25 AM
Panaji, Sep 21 (IANS) Accusing the BJP-led coalition government of "duplicating" initiatives of the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal said the people of Goa should elect the "original" AAP, instead of the BJP, which merely duplicates its policies.
"(Chief Minister Pramod) Sawant said that water will be free in Goa. I was very happy. We did it four years ago in Delhi. I have heard that they have started doorstep delivery of services. We started it in Delhi three years ago," Kejriwal told a press conference in Mapusa town in North Goa.
"I believe that whatever is happening in Delhi, he (Sawant) is copying it in Goa. When the original is available, why do you need a duplicate? When the people of Goa can vote for the original, why do you need a duplicate? The duplicate person will end up doing 'gadbad' (confusion)," Kejriwal said.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Goa have been engaged in a war of words and pre-poll announcements over the last few months ahead of the state Assembly polls, which are due in the coastal state in early 2022.
After the AAP announced free power to the tune of 300 units to domestic households in the state, the BJP-led coalition government has announced 16,000 free litres of water in every household.
The AAP on Tuesday also promised 80 per cent reservations for domiciled Goans and also made promises to allot doles to the tune of Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 to unemployed youth and households, whose livelihoods were linked to the flagging tourism and defunct mining industry with no assured earnings.
Rejecting all opposition to his elevation, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi appointed Navjot Singh Sidhu as the party's new Punjab unit President along with four Working Presidents.
Calling the reports of alleged snooping on prominent citizens using Israeli Pegasus spyware as "baseless", the ruling BJP on Monday said there is not a single shred of evidence so far that links either the central government or the party to this controversy.
Congress MPs from both Houses had met on Sunday afternoon at Rajya Sabha member Pratap Singh Bajwa's residence to discuss the issues related to Punjab and sought an appointment with Gandhi.
Apart from reviewing the security arrangements in the national capital, the Delhi Police have also strengthened the security in and around the Red Fort ahead of the Independence Day.
Police said acting on a specific information, Budgam Police along with the Army's 53 RR and 43 BN of the CRPF arrested one local terrorist linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT and recovered incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including one Chinese pistol, one magazine, eight live pistol rounds from his possession.
As the Pegasus spyware scandal unravelled within and outside Parliament, he termed it a "shocking assault" on India's democratic polity by the Union government, which had compromised the national security with "this blatantly disgraceful act".
