DELHI PRADESH CONGRESS COMMITTEE PRESIDENT SHRI ARVINDER SINGH, CLP LEADER SHRI HAROON YUSUF AND CHIEF SPOKESPERSON SHRI MUKESH SHARMA ADDRESS A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE.

On Jul 18, 2014

NEW DELHI, July 18—Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee today described the Delhi budget presented in Parliament as “directionless”, adding that the BJP-led Central Government has not made such provision in the budget that would bring good days to the people of Delhi as promised by the BJP. The Congress leaders asked the BJP leadership to tender an unconditional apology to the people on the power subsidy matter as the BJP had consistently opposed giving power subsidy during the Congress rule in Delhi. Not only that, the BJP had also voted against power subsidy during the Delhi Assembly session in Februry this year, and the BJP has now exposed its real face by implementing the same sort of subsidy given during the Congress rule. Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Shri Arvinder Singh, MLA, CLP leader Shri Haroon Yusuf and chief spokesperson Shri Mukesh Sharma said this during a jont press conference held at the DPCC office, Rajiv Bhawan, here today.

Shri Arvinder Singh and Shri Haroon Yusuf said the Delhi budget has not only made any provision for any new scheme, but has instead decided to overturn the Congress Government’s decision to sanction 100 new schools, and restrict the number to just 20, which shows that the BJP has no desire to improve the educational standards in Delhi schools. They said the decision to introduce new buses on Delhi roads was also taken by the Congress Government and even tender for that had been invited. Shri Arvinder Singh said in the present Delhi budget, from power subsidy to health services and new hospitals, all the schemes had been formulated during the Congress rule, and constructive works had also been started on these schemes. He asserted that this budget was a total betrayal on the people of Delhi, and has dashed the expectation of the people. He said this was the first budget in which there was no concrete proposal for the all-round development of Delhi.

Shri Arvinder Singh said this budget was not only a direct insult to the over 45 lakh people living in the unauthorized colonies and villages of Delhi, but it will also block all the development works in these colonies. He alleged that no financial provision has been made in the budget for the development of the regularized colonies of Delhi, either. Shri Arvinder Singh said this budget has also not made any provision for addressing the severe water crisis in Delhi, as he termed the budget as “anti-people” and the decision not to allocate more funds for the social sector schemes has exposed the anti-poor face of the BJP. He said the truth was that hurdles have been put on many schemes on the social sector for the welfare of the people. He made it clear that there was also no clear proposal as to how the ongoing development works in Delhi would be completed. He said this budet was intended to get the BJP political mileage, and nothing else.

Shri Arvinder Singh, Shri Haroon Yusuf and Shri Mukesh Sharma said the Union Finance Minister’s statement that the Delhi budget was a “taxfree budget” was another bid by the BJP to mislead the people. They recalled that the BJP had promised the people of Delhi 30 per cent cheaper power to get their votes during the Parliamentary and Assembly elections, and it would have been better had the BJP honoured its promise by giving 30 per cent cheaper rates in the electricity bills for all the people of Delhi. They said the budget has also made no provision for the regularization of the unauthorized colonies in Delhi, and also for laying sewer and drinking water lines in these colonies. They said there was also no provision for the regularization of the rehri-patri wallas of Delhi, nor was any provision for the introduction a new transport system in the Capital.

Shri Mukesh Sharma said the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee will expose this BJP budget to mislead the people by organizing “Jan Jagran Abhiyan” in which corner meetings will also be held. He said the people will be made aware of the shortcomings of this budget so that the BJP could be fully exposed.