Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Praveen Khandelwal has lashed out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of failing to provide housing to the slum dwellers in Delhi over the past 10 years.
In a conversation with ANI, Khandelwal said, “Arvind Kejriwal has failed to provide houses to the slum dwellers in the national capital in 10 years. The people of Delhi have understood the politics of Arvind Kejriwal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised that every slum dweller in Delhi will be given a house… the people of Delhi will teach this lying machine a lesson.”
This statement came in response to Kejriwal’s recent criticism of the BJP regarding its plans for the slums of Delhi. Kejriwal had alleged that the BJP intended to “demolish” the slums in the next five years, leaving the residents homeless.
Kejriwal’s Criticism of BJP
Speaking at a slum camp, Kejriwal accused the BJP of disregarding the slum dwellers, stating, “We have seen how their leaders are going to slums and staying there. They didn’t stay for five or ten years, but their leaders have been staying in the slums for the last month. They do not have affection for the slum dwellers. It is a party of rich people. What do they have to do with the slum dwellers?”
Kejriwal further claimed that the BJP sees slum dwellers only as a source of votes and land, adding, “They love their land and have love for their votes.”
BJP’s Response to Kejriwal’s Claims
Khandelwal, responding to Kejriwal’s remarks, criticized the Delhi Chief Minister’s track record, noting the alleged shortcomings of the AAP government in the capital. He emphasized that while Kejriwal’s government has failed in providing homes, the BJP government had made significant promises toward this cause.
Kejriwal had earlier expressed concern about the BJP’s failure to build adequate housing for slum dwellers, claiming that in the 10 years of BJP governance, only 4,700 houses were built, while Delhi has over 4 lakh slums. He argued that the pace at which houses are being built means it would take centuries to address the housing problem in the city.