Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena addressed the challenges faced by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) during a conversation with Sadin-Pratidin Director Mrs. Smitakshi B. Goswami at The Conclave 2024. She highlighted the party's struggles over the past two years, which intensified in the last six months following the imprisonment of party convener and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The Delhi Chief Minister said that situation disrupted essential developmental works and affected pension disbursements for senior citizens. She claimed that the central government also increased the water bills.
During the discussion, Mrs. Smitakshi likened Atishi to a ‘Lady Nayak,’ referencing the Bollywood film in which Anil Kapoor portrays a Chief Minister for a day. She acknowledged Atishi’s significant responsibilities, managing around 13 ministries, including critical portfolios like finance and health, and inquired about her top priorities for Delhi.
Atishi responded, “To understand our priorities, we must consider what AAP has endured over the last two years. Our leaders have been systematically arrested, a situation unprecedented in the history of Indian politics. First, Satyender Jain was arrested, followed by Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and ultimately, Arvind Kejriwal himself. No other political party has faced such persecution in the past 75 years.”
She pointed to the alleged 'excise policy scam' as the reason behind these arrests, saying that despite extensive investigations, the police and investigative agencies have not recovered any proceeds of crime. “The real reason for this crackdown is the transformative work the Arvind Kejriwal government has accomplished over the past decade,” she stated.
“They were not able to recover even one rupee as proceeds of crime,” she added.
Further, Atishi touted AAP's achievements, noting that Delhi is the only state providing 24-hour electricity, with 70% of residents receiving it for free. She added that parents are increasingly choosing government schools over private institutions due to the superior performance of government education.
“Can the BJP name one state among the 22 where they govern that offers 24-hour electricity for free or where government schools outperform private schools? When they failed to compete with AAP's governance, their response was to discredit our work,” she asserted.
Highlighting the repercussions of Kejriwal's arrest, Atishi said, “In the last six months, the work for the people of Delhi has suffered significantly. The central government has taken steps to halt our initiatives, including stopping pensions for 100,000 senior citizens who relied on Rs 2,500 monthly payments, halting widow pensions, inflating water bills, and freezing funds for road repairs and the Delhi Jal Board.”
“If you ask me about my top priority for the next three months, it is to resume and complete the essential work that has been stalled, under the guidance by our party leader Mr. Arvind Kejriwal," she further added.