Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot, who hoisted the national flag at the Chhatrasal stadium here on the 78th Independence Day, hailed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as a "freedom fighter" who has been "punished" for working for people.
Gahlot said he was distressed that an elected chief minister could not hoist the national flag because he is in jail.
"Standing under this flag, I can say proudly that Arvind Kejriwal is a modern day freedom fighter because he accepted the punishment to work for the people of Delhi by going to the jail, but did not bow down or break in front of the anti-democratic forces," he said. Gahlot said the country did not get freedom just so that an elected chief minister could be put in jail, adding it got it to defeat illiteracy, poverty, unemployment and diseases.
Kejriwal began the effort to free the country from these ills by providing quality education, healthcare, free electricity and world class transport facilities to the people in Delhi, he asserted.
Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 in connection with an excise policy case and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail.
Gahlot further said India's democracy is too strong for any power to weaken it, as he cited as an example of the resilience, the release of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia from jail.
On the occasion, he hoped that Kejriwal would also get bail soon.
"I hope that Kejriwal will be out soon and will hoist the national flag in the years to come," he said. Sisodia, also arrested in connection with the excise policy case on February 26 last year, was granted bail by the Supreme Court on August 9.
Gahlot said the Delhi government led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will continue to give free electricity, education, healthcare and bus rides to women.
"By bringing change in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has proved that if intentions are clear and the government is honest, everything is possible," said Gahlot. "Our government has done a lot of work in Delhi under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal. There is 24 hours free electricity in Delhi. With this, there has been a tremendous change in the government schools of Delhi," he added.
Gahlot listed the achievements of the government in various sectors like education, health and improving the pollution situation in the national capital.
The minister, who also holds the portfolio of Transport, said Delhi is known as the Electric Vehicle capital and has the largest fleet of electric buses in the country and third largest in the world.
Delhi has 1,970 electric buses at the moment and by 2025, 80 per cent of the bus fleet will be electric, he shared. Gahlot alleged the "democratic rights" of the people of Delhi were taken away through a legislation brought by the Centre, but assured people that their work won't stop despite all obstacles.
Remembering freedom fighters who laid down their lives, he said, "Today, on the 78th year of independence, I salute all the freedom fighters."
He also saluted the soldiers, who risked their lives to protect the country on the country's borders after independence.
Delhi cabinet ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, Imran Hussain and Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar were present on the occasion.
