Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta assured the people of the Capital on Friday that her government would fulfil all the promises made in the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) manifesto, despite what she described as financial mismanagement by the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
Speaking in the Assembly during a discussion on the motion of thanks on the lieutenant governor's inaugural address in the House, Gupta took a dig at the AAP, calling it a "dharna party" that continues to protest even after being voted out of power.
"Atishi and other AAP MLAs were holding up banners even before we took the oath, asking when will we give Rs 2,500 each to women. They dare to question us when they themselves failed to fulfil the same promise in Punjab. They are a dharna party - when in power, they sat on protests, now they are in the opposition and they are still doing the same," the chief minister said.
She also hit out at the AAP for staging protests over the alleged removal of B R Ambedkar's and Bhagat Singh's portraits from the Chief Minister's Office. "They just wanted an excuse to leave the House because they could not face the CAG reports tabled here," she said.
On the second CAG report tabled in the House by her, Gupta said, "Fulfilling a promise made to the people of Delhi, the second CAG audit report on the management of public health infrastructure and health services was presented before the House. This report has not only exposed the reality of the (previous) Arvind Kejriwal government, but also exposed those who played with the health of the people of Delhi."
She further asked what did the AAP do during its 10-year rule in the capital other than its leaders holding press conferences, giving sound bites and posting messages on social media.
Taking a swipe at AAP supremo Kejriwal over his party's campaign slogan, "Bhai ho toh aisa, Kejriwal jaisa", Gupta said, "He is the only brother who provided free liquor bottles in a buy one, get one offer." She reiterated that the newly-formed BJP government would work with full commitment to honour all the promises made to the people of Delhi in the run-up to the Assembly polls.
"We will not rest until we deliver everything we have promised in our Sankalp Patra. Despite the empty coffers left by the AAP, we will ensure that Delhi gets the governance it deserves," Gupta said.
PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh also spoke in the Assembly on the motion of thanks, voicing support to the LG's speech and pledging to accelerate Delhi's development. He asserted that the city's progress would no longer be limited to advertisements but would be visible on its streets.
Singh said the government would launch a probe into the fake ration card racket and take action against illegal immigrants. "If any Bangladeshi or Rohingya is found holding a ration card, it will be immediately cancelled and legal ction will be taken," he said. "For years, a political conspiracy was at play to settle illegal infiltrators in Delhi but that will end now. We will make Delhi safer. Only genuine beneficiaries will receive ration, not illegal immigrants," he added.
Singh said Delhi's problems are not just local but national in nature as it houses institutions like Parliament, the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Supreme Court. "We will transform Delhi as one of the world's most beautiful and developed capitals," he said.
The BJP stormed to power in Delhi after a gap of more than 26 years, winning 48 of the 70 seats in the Assembly polls held in February, while the AAP was reduced to 22 seats.
