Wednesday, June 17, 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

    In NDA rule, Badal softens stand on diesel price hike

    In NDA rule, Badal softens stand on diesel price hike
    A few months back, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had described the UPA's 50 paise hike in diesel prices as a "criminal conspiracy" but when the price was hiked by the same amount Saturday by the NDA government, he just batted for cheaper prices.

    In NDA rule, Badal softens stand on diesel price hike

    PM Modi sheds another UPA baggage, axes all GOMs, EGOMs for fast decisions, accountability

    PM Modi sheds another UPA baggage, axes all GOMs, EGOMs for fast decisions, accountability
    Doing away with one of the relics of coalition politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday abolished all 30 ministerial groups to ensure that his colleagues heading various portfolios take faster decisions with more accountability.

    PM Modi sheds another UPA baggage, axes all GOMs, EGOMs for fast decisions, accountability

    Congress cannot paper over Rahul's failures

    Congress cannot paper over Rahul's failures
    Despite Sonia Gandhi's advice to Congressmen to avoid "public acrimony", rumbling of discontent about the party's miserable performance in the recent elections have continued

    Congress cannot paper over Rahul's failures

    Modi Victory: Congress 'communalism' derailed UPA

    Modi Victory: Congress 'communalism' derailed UPA
    The Congress-led UPA claims to be secular; peel a few layers and you will find it is steeped in communalism. The BJP-led NDA, accused of communalism, does all that it can to get rid of this label and walk that extra mile

    Modi Victory: Congress 'communalism' derailed UPA

    Now Congress' Rajasthan legislator attacks Rahul Gandhi

    Now Congress' Rajasthan legislator attacks Rahul Gandhi
    In another attack on Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi following the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha election, a party legislator in Rajasthan Saturday called him "MD of Congress circus".

    Now Congress' Rajasthan legislator attacks Rahul Gandhi

    Mani Shankar Aiyar's comment spurred NRIs to canvass for Modi

    Mani Shankar Aiyar's comment spurred NRIs to canvass for Modi
    When he made his now infamous comment about the recently elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi being a 'chai wala', Congress spokesperson Mani Shankar Aiyar may not have had any inkling that the comment would give an impetus to Indian Americans to launch a 'chai pe charcha' movement

    Mani Shankar Aiyar's comment spurred NRIs to canvass for Modi