Monday, June 15, 2026
ADVT 
India

Arvind Kejriwal Flays 'Gujarat Model', Modi Government

The Canadian Press, 27 Apr, 2016 10:41 AM
    Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday accused the central government of trying to fail development work in Delhi and said people have been "cheated in the name of Gujarat model".
     
    Addressing the National Council of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Kejriwal made one of his most scathing attacks on the Narendra Modi government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
     
    "The world is appreciating the AAP government whereas the central government is trying its best to scuttle our efforts (to develop Delhi)," he said. 
     
    "But still, we are moving ahead and working for the people of Delhi."
     
    He detailed the achievements of the AAP government since taking power in February 2015 including providing "cheapest" and uninterrupted electricity.
     
    "Our opponents said we won't be able to supply uninterrupted power, that too on cheapest rates.
     
    "We are also providing 20,000 liters of water to each family for free. And in fact Delhi is saving huge amount of water."
     
    He said his government had waived off water bills totalling Rs.2,500 crore and would build 8,000 new classrooms within two months. 
     
    He said Delhi's 'Mohalla Clinics' of model clinics had brought free medicines and tests to people's doorsteps. Every clinic was built in just Rs.20 lakh. 
     
    "Even the US says they need to learn from Mohalla Clinics. By now, we have 100. The number will be 1,000 by year-end."
     
    Claiming no government had done in 10-15 years what his government had achieved in just over a year, he said: "This is happening because there is an honest government in Delhi. We are saving money in each project."
     
     
    In contrast, he accused the central government of building a flyover in Bihar for Rs.3,000 crore when its cost estimate was Rs.509 crore. This, he said, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
     
    Kejriwal said he visited Gujarat and found schools and healthcare there in a bad shape. 
     
    "Now everyone knows what the Gujarat model is. People have been cheated in the name of Gujarat model.
     
    "There is a Delhi model of governance and the Gujarat model. We invite everyone to compare the two models."
     
    The AAP leader accused the BJP and its allied groups of doing "gundagardi" in the name of making people say "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and threatening to beat up those who did not raise the slogan. 
     
    He said the tens of thousands who thronged the Ramlila Maidan here during Gandhian Anna Hazare's protest in 2011 chanted "Bharat Mata ki Jai" from their heart.
     
    "See what they are doing in Kashmir," he said, in an obvious reference to the clashes between Kashmiri and non-Kashmiri students at the National Institute of Technology in Srinagar. 
     
    He said the people of Delhi "are so happy that if elections happen today, 
    they won't win even a single seat".
     
    But he quickly added that the AAP's aim was not just to win elections.
     
    "We are here to change the system. We will fight to win. 
     
    "We will fight elections but before that we have to work hard. We have to fight to win 90 seats out of 100.
     
    "We will fight elections to make governments and change the system," he said, without outlining the AAP's long-term electoral plans beyond Punjab.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Yahoo! fires 600 techies in India

    Yahoo! fires 600 techies in India
    Internet giant and search engine Yahoo! is giving 'pink slips' to about 600 techies here to trim its workforce in India and consolidate its core engineering activity in the US....

    Yahoo! fires 600 techies in India

    Modi government moves swiftly to fulfil promises to diaspora

    Modi government moves swiftly to fulfil promises to diaspora
    Moving swiftly to fulfill assurances made to thousands of cheering diaspora in his Madison Square Garden address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday...

    Modi government moves swiftly to fulfil promises to diaspora

    Tensions rise as Indian, Pakistani armies clash

    Tensions rise as Indian, Pakistani armies clash
    Indian and Pakistani troops clashed again Tuesday along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, sparking fear at the border and forcing thousands to flee to safer places....

    Tensions rise as Indian, Pakistani armies clash

    Two schemes for overseas Indians to be merged

    Two schemes for overseas Indians to be merged
    India is working on a new scheme that will merge the People of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) schemes, an official statement said Tuesday....

    Two schemes for overseas Indians to be merged

    India among five nations to build world's biggest telescope

    India among five nations to build world's biggest telescope
     India, along with four other countries, will Tuesday start work to build the world's biggest telescope in Hawaii Island, the media here reported Monday...

    India among five nations to build world's biggest telescope

    Five killed in Pakistan firing in Jammu

    Five killed in Pakistan firing in Jammu
    Pakistan Rangers Monday resorted to indiscriminate firing along the international border in Jammu district, killing five civilians and injuring...

    Five killed in Pakistan firing in Jammu