New Delhi [India], December 29: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday launched a strong attack on AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of deceiving the public through the party’s welfare schemes. Puri stated, “Aisa koi saga nahi jise Kejriwal ne thaga nahi” (There is no one whom Kejriwal has not deceived).
Puri specifically criticized two of Kejriwal’s major welfare initiatives, the Mahila ‘Samman Yojana’ and the ‘Sanjeevani’ scheme. He claimed both lacked adequate budgetary provisions and cabinet approval. The Mahila Samman Yojana, designed to provide women in Delhi with Rs 2,100 per month, was particularly called into question by Puri, who emphasized that announcing such schemes without proper financial backing or a clear implementation process amounts to betraying the people.
“You can announce schemes, but there must be budgetary provisions,” Puri said. “The promises made to women in Punjab were not fulfilled, and now another scheme is being launched in Delhi. Has the Delhi cabinet approved this? Have they conducted the necessary budgeting?” he added. Puri also criticized the AAP government for making people fill out forms as part of the scheme, calling it “dhoka” (deception), as there is no actual product behind the promise.
Puri further took a jab at Kejriwal, suggesting that the Delhi CM’s recent behavior indicated a loss of mental stability. This remark came after Kejriwal accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of running “Operation Lotus” to manipulate the voter list in his constituency. Puri responded, saying, “When Arvind Kejriwal was in ‘state hospitality’ (in jail), his ‘mental equilibrium’ got disturbed… What is his vision now—disruption? Arvind Kejriwal has very little time left in government.”
Earlier, Kejriwal had accused the BJP of trying to alter voter demographics in the New Delhi constituency by applying for the deletion of 5,000 votes and the addition of 7,500 votes in just 15 days, calling it part of an ongoing “Operation Lotus.”
Puri also accused the AAP of helping Rohingyas settle in Delhi for votes, stating, “Do you think the Rohingyas will ever vote for the BJP? AAP has helped them settle here for their votes.” He suggested that it would be better for democracy if their names were removed from the voter list.
Turning his focus back to Kejriwal’s welfare schemes, Puri reiterated that unfulfilled promises, such as those made to women in Punjab, only highlighted Kejriwal’s failure. “You can announce any scheme, but you cannot deceive the people by making them fill out forms,” he asserted.
Despite these attacks, Puri expressed confidence in his party’s success in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, expected in early 2025. He predicted that the electoral results in Delhi would mirror those in Haryana and Maharashtra.