The Kejriwal Government failed to carry out the development of Delhi

NEW DELHI, April 18, 2023—Chairman of the Communications Department of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee Shri Anil Bhardwaj, ex-MLA, said that despite a budget allocation of Rs 5,37,329 crore in the past nine years, the Kejriwal Government not only failed  on all fronts  in the development of Delhi, but it was also under a huge debt  of Rs 38,000 crore, but Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal projected a publicity-oriented model of development in Delhi  to mislead the people. He said that the Congress Government had carried out massive development works in Delhi in 15 years with a fraction of the Kejriwal Government’s budget outlay to make Delhi a world class city, in every sense.

Addressing a press conference at the DPCC office, Rajiv Bhawan, here today, Shri Anil Bhardwaj said that in the past nine years, the Kejriwal Government could not build any new hospital, no new sewer treatment plant, no new college or university, while only five new schools were opened  after shutting down 16 existing schools. Elaborating further, Shri Bhardwaj aid that just one new water treatment plant was setup, while no new sewer treatment plant setup, no new flats for the slum dwellers, and even the flats constructed by the Congress Government under the Rajiv Ratten Awaz Yojna for the poor were not allotted to them. He said that the Kejriwal Government certainly made Delhi No 1 in pollution, No 1 in liquor scam and intoxication, No 1 in squandering the tax payers’ money for publicity and advertisements, No 1 in providing dirty piped water while inflation and unemployment were rising. Vice-chairman of the DPCC Communications Department Shri Anuj Attrey and Social Media Chairman Hidayatullah were also present at the press conference.

Shri Anil Bhardwaj said that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and jailed former Education Minister Manish Sisodia created a false narrative about the so-called “Delhi Model of Education”, though the truth was that education standard of Government schools has deteriorated terribly. He said that Kejriwal had promised in his election manifesto for the Assembly elections nine years ago that if elected to power, he would create 500 new schools and 20 new colleges, but he could not fulfil his promises. Instead, the 12 colleges already under the Delhi Government were being denied grants on various grounds to rob the teaching and non-teaching staff of their salary. He said that out of the 1027 Government schools, 60 per cent schools were without principals while 50 per cent posts of vice-principals were lying vacant, and 33 per cent vacancies of teachers have also not been filled. He said that 50 per cent Government schools do not teach science and commerce subjects due to lack of teachers qualified in these subjects, and under such a scenario, how can there be quality education in Delhi Government schools?

Shri Anil Bhardwaj said that it was shocking to learn that teachers were pressurized to write the answers on blank sheets of class 9 and 11 students to inflate the pass percentage of Government schools, which will only destroy the future of students, who will pass out of schools without any special skills or knowledge. He demanded a probe to unravel this shocking scandal to punish the guilty. He said that 30 per cent students failing in the Class 9 and 11 exams amplifies the sorry state of education in Government schools. He said that teachers find this additional burden unbearable to manage as 33% posts of teachers are vacant in Government schools. He said that 22,000 guest teachers were waiting to be regularized, and many schools are running four shifts in tents which tell the sorry state of affairs in Government schools.

Shri Anil Bhardwaj said that like education, the Kejriwal Government also publicized a false narrative about the “Delhi Model of Health Care” as no new hospital was built in the past 9 years while the much publicized mohalla clinics  have become a whitle elephant and a standing joke. He said that thousands of innocent patients had died in Delhi due to lack of beds in hospitals, medicines and medical oxygen but the Kejriwal Government tried to cover up this  fact sayin no death occurred due to shortage of medical oxygen. He said that instead of improving the health infrastructure and other facilities in hospitals, considering the rise in Covid-19 cases in the Capital, the Delhi Government slashed budget allocation for the health sector, which shows the lop-sided priority the Kejriwal Government accords to people’s health. He said that Delhi Congress warns that considering the rising number of Covid patients,  the Delhi Government should take urgent measures to ensure that innocent lives are not lost to the Covid virus due to lack of health care facilities and infrastructure.

Shri Anil Bhardwaj said that the Kejriwal Government’s clean water supply scheme was a another political stunt  as people were getting unpotable, dirty water through taps, and in the slum and unauthorized colonies, the tanker mafia was ruling the roost. He said that before coming to power, Kejriwal had promised to  end the rule of the “tanker mafia”. He said that the Delhi Government squandered Rs 6800 for the cleaning of the toxic Yamuna river without success, which was a criminal waste of tax payers’ money while the once-profitable Delhi Jal Board was under a debt burden of Rs 71,000 crore, which was yet another shocking model of Kejriwal’s “development of Delhi”.