People feeling cheated by Narendra Modi government: Arvind Kejriwal

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday again launched a tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he showcased the Delhi model of development against the “myth” of the Gujarat model. He said that people are feeling “cheated” as votes had been garnered in the name of development, but the focus now was on issues like raising “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” slogans.

“Before the Lok Sabha polls, there was a myth created before the nation. The ‘myth’ manufactured was Gujarat model of development, which was whipped up a year before the Lok Sabha polls. Now the entire country is feeling cheated. People say that they have photoshop editors...They will show Switzerland road and say this is Gujarat’s road. This is the way they have cheated the country. Today there is a story of Gujarat model of development and then there is a development in reality in Delhi,” he said.

“We challenge the country and world to compare the models of development of Delhi and Gujarat. We invite people to see our mohalla clinics, find faults in it and we will rectify them,” Mr Kejriwal said, listing out the achievements of his government over the past one-year in the areas of electricity, water, health and education. Mr Kejriwal was addressing his party’s national council meeting where a fresh national executive was elected for a period of three years.

Terming the incident of Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur breaking down before the Prime Minister in a conference as the “biggest slap on the face” of the Modi government, Mr Kejriwal said traders, jewellers, farmers and students are upset with the BJP dispensation. “They are trying to divide the country. The traders, the jewellers, farmers and students are upset with them. There cannot be a bigger slap on the face of the Modi government when Chief Justice of India wept,” he said.

Indicating his willingness to expand the Aam Aadmi Party’s base, Mr Kejriwal said his party will have to fight elections with a target of winning at least 90 per cent seats and make governments to change the system.

Attacking the BJP over the “Bharat Mata ki Jai” slogan row, Mr Kejriwal said the saffron party deserted the cow after the Bihar polls, and will also “forget” the Bharat Mata Ki Jai slogan after its loss in the polls ahead.

Interestingly, Mr Kejriwal started his speech with Bharat Mata Ki Jai, his usual style before addressing any rally. “They took away votes in the name of development. They brought cow before Bihar polls. They failed in Bihar and deserted the cow. Now they have brought Bharat Mata ki Jai. After they lose the next polls, they will leave Bharat Mata as well,” Mr Kejriwal said, adding that the BJP has forgotten development and has instead resorted to hooliganism.