RAIPUR: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a scathing attack on both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress over widespread inflation, taxes even on essential food items, and expensive electricity in power-surplus Chhattisgarh.
He accused both parties of looting the money of the people and filling their own pockets.
Marking the beginning of AAP's campaign for the upcoming assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, the AAP leader said that the wrong policies of the Modi government have caused spiralling inflation.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Rajya Sabha member Dr. Sandeep Pathak, who hails from Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh, were among those present.
Addressing a large public gathering in Bilaspur, Kejriwal said, "When Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in the year 2000, people had high hopes for the development of the state. However, despite the state being blessed with abundant coal, mines, iron ore, fields, and forests, it lacked loyal political leadership and a party. In 20 years, each household could have become rich in this state, each village could have had schools, only if the leaders were loyal to the people."
"If you were happy with what the BJP had done and what Congress is doing for the state, you wouldn't have been here to attend AAP's program," Kejriwal said, adding, "You are here because you are angry and aware of the corruption BJP and Congress have engaged in. Both parties looted the state whenever they got the opportunity."
"In Delhi, we provide free electricity, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji was angry with me for distributing free electricity. Chhattisgarh is a power surplus state that provides electricity to other states, so why is it so expensive? If we can provide free electricity, why can't Congress? Because they don't have the intention. They (BJP & Congress) have a problem with me distributing freebies, but they hoard freebies in their own homes," the AAP leader said.
"Have you ever wondered why there is so much inflation in the country like never before? It's because Modi ji has imposed taxes on milk, buttermilk, tea, coffee, and even vegetables. They haven't exempted any food items. Imagine a tax of Rs 45 on a litre of petrol! And they say the British were bloodsuckers, at least they didn't tax people on essential food items," Kejriwal said.
Without naming anyone, he criticized the Modi government for waiving off thousands of crores of loans for his businessman friends, stating, "Modi ji, you deceive while Manish Sisodia (Delhi minister presently in jail) goes to jail."
Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak said, "It has been 23 years since the state was formed, and now it's time to account for everything that the two parties have done for the state. Chhattisgarh has been burdened with loans worth thousands of crores in the past few years. There are no schools in villages, no doctors in hospitals."
He spoke about the infighting within Congress and the appointment of the deputy chief minister, stating that it was a "jhunjhuna" (rattle) and a decision taken out of fear.
"You don't have to work hard or take an exam to change the leadership in the state, just press the right button at the right time," Pathak said.
