Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri on Tuesday charged that the Arvind Kejriwal government has discontinued old age pension for the elderly for the last five years.

Bidhuri also said not only are new applicants not receiving pensions, but even with over one lakh vacancies, new individuals are not being granted pensions, while more than two lakh elderly individuals are pleading for pensions.

Bidhuri mentioned that the Delhi government not only maintains an inhumane perspective towards the elderly but is also committing contempt of the Delhi High Court's orders.

 It has been reported that on October 17, 2018, the Kejriwal government issued an order stating that applications for the new pension can only be made through the MLA's ID. People protested this arbitrary order and approached the Delhi High Court.

The court immediately cancelled the order, emphasizing that applications for the new pension can be submitted individually, Bidhuri said. Expressing dissatisfaction with the order of the High Court the Delhi government did not accept any new application, he added.

Bidhuri stated that not only is the government not approving new applications, but it is also not providing approved pensions. While 5,30,000 elderly individuals in Delhi are eligible for pensions, only 4,29,210 receive them.

This means that an additional 1,00,790 elderly individuals could be granted pensions, but the Delhi government is not making any decision on this sensitive matter. In response to a question in the assembly, it was mentioned that the Kejriwal government needs to hold a meeting and make a proper decision on this issue.

Still, no such meeting has taken place, leaving the elderly in Delhi struggling for the past five years.

The Kejriwal government is not even hearing Aam Aadmi Party legislators’ voices in the assembly who have raised questions about this issue. Over two lakh people have applied for pensions, but their applications are still pending with the government.