Kejriwal hits back at PM Modi’s ‘rewri’ jibe: Those who say this should be declared traitors

Asking what is wrong in providing free education, health and electricity to ordinary citizens, the CM said, “Since the past few months, an atmosphere has been created across the country… Those people who question the free schemes and call it the key reason for government’s revenue loss have written off crores of debt and waived off loans worth Rs 10 lakh crores taken by their friends who took the public money and escaped the country. This has not affected the government’s vault but schemes for poor citizens are affecting them.”

“It is very saddening to hear that on the 75th Independence Day, at a time when we all should come together and bring out a revolutionary plan to make education, health and electricity, water accessible for the public, these people, who should have made a system for welfare of people in 1947, are trying to create an atmosphere to put a stop on all these schemes.”

The CM also accused BJP of “dostvaad” and Congress of “parivarvaad”, and the AAP wants to bring “deshvaad” (Indianness). He also alluded to the Nirav Modi case and said: “In logon ne kuch chand logon ka 10 lakh crore ka karza maaf kar diya hai. Kaha ja ra hai un chand logon mein kai inke pakke dost the. Par iske baare mein koi baat nahi kar rahat hai. They just don’t want to provide free education to children using government funds, which are actually meant for them”.

“They care about a little group of people who help them with money. They have waived taxes for these groups of people and some of them are their close friends. These people have increased GST on basic daily essentials and food items being used by ordinary citizens because they don’t care if the poor live or die,” said the CM.

Demanding an investigation, he said: “Amendments should be introduced against these people, who are waiving loans amounting to the tune of lakhs of crores, and they should be declared ‘traitors’. Who are these friends? Pehle wo inke dost the, ab ye unke dost hain. Log wahin hain, Pehle wo inke karze maaf karte the, ab ye unke karze maaf karte hain.”

He also demanded an enquiry to find how many people have been given relaxation and whether the party received money for poll campaigns.

“Only ministers and leaders are given free electricity. Why it is wrong in providing education and electricity to the poor? Hamaare Hindu dharam mein likha hai, pyasa aaye insaan ko pani pilana chahiye (Hinduism says one should always feed water to a thirsty person).”

Kejriwal added that he studied government welfare schemes provided across the globe and found that about 39 countries provide free education to children, nine countries such as Canada, Brazil and UK provide free healthcare, and 16 countries such as US and Germany provide unemployment allowances to citizens till they find a job. “But no government has given undue benefits and waived off crores of loan amount for personal benefit of their friends. That is why these countries are richer than ours,” said the CM.

Kejriwal went on to ask the Centre to provide free education, healthcare and free electricity up to 300 units to every citizen. “I demand on behalf of 130 crore people that each and every child, be it from a rich or poor family, be provided free education; every citizen should be provided free electricity and each household should be provided subsidy on electricity up to 300 units. Those who are calling this a freebie scheme and free ki revari should be declared gaddar (traitor) of this country,” Kejriwal said.