Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of crony capitalism, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal charged the BJP government in Centre has waived off loans worth Rs 10 lakh crore of “Corporate friends”.
“The election pits two contrasting ideologies—one focused on the welfare of the general public and the other on benefiting a select group of wealthy individuals—against each other,” Kejriwal said. Saying the upcoming Delhi polls are about deciding how voter’s money is spent, the former Delhi chief minister said the AAP’s model is focused on providing free electricity, water and other basic amenities to the public.
"This election is about deciding how taxpayers' money should be spent. One ideology, represented by the BJP, uses public funds to waive loans worth thousands of crores for its close associates. The other, our AAP model, focuses on providing free electricity, education, health care and transport to benefit the common man," Kejriwal told reporters during a press conference in Delhi.
Accusing the BJP of favouring businessmen over the public, the AAP leader alleged that the ruling party in the Centre waived debts amounting to Rs 10 lakh crore of 400-500 industrialists during the past five years.
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"The BJP model gives people's money to its friends as loans and then writes off those loans in two to three years. In contrast, the AAP model provides direct benefits to the public, including welfare schemes worth nearly Rs 25,000 per month for each household in Delhi," PTI reported quoting Kejriwal.
Kejriwal also charged the BJP, if elected to power in Delhi, it would end all welfare schemes of AAP in Delhi. "The BJP has already clarified it will stop free electricity, free bus rides (for women), and other benefits provided by the Delhi government. I ask the people, will they be able to bear this cost if the BJP is elected?" he asked.
Lashing out at the BJP for terming its schemes as “freebies”, Kejriwal alleged the saffron party was trying to create guilt in the minds of the middle class while it is offering massive concessions to big businesses.
