Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the latter's choice of clothes, alleging that the cost of the Prime Minister's clothes was more than what the AAP had spent on advertising.
Kejriwal, who was on a three-day whirlwind tour of poll-bound Goa, also deflected questions over his visits to Hindu and Christian religious leaders, even as he also kick-started his party's 'Goa Dialogues', initiatives a preparatory process aimed at collecting data for drafting the party’s election manifesto.
"It is being said that we have given advertising of Rs526 crore. Completely false, we have released advertising worth Rs76 crore. That's it. The advertising revenue of all departments of the Delhi Government is less than the total expenditure on Mr. Modi's clothes," Kejriwal said while interacting with mediapersons in Panaji on the last day of his visit.
"I can give you the calculation. One dress that Modi wears is worth Rs2 lakh. He changes clothes five times a day, (it comes to) Rs10 lakh. He never repeats his clothes, doesn't wash them and reuse them," said the Delhi Chief Minister, who has been accused by his rivals of targeting Modi as a strategy to attract attention.
As proof, Kejriwal incredulously said, all one needs to do, is google it up.
“Modi has been in power for 700 days, that means he has spent Rs70 crore on clothes alone. Rs5 crore more on his other clothes," said Kejriwal.
But his Modi comment notwithstanding, over the last three days, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal hurriedly waltzed around the rainswept, poll-bound State of Goa, meeting students, fishermen, hoteliers and Hindu and Christian religious leaders, as his party prepares for the upcoming round of state legislative elections in Goa and Punjab.
On Wednesday, Kejriwal met Sadguru Brahmeshanand Swami, a popular religious figure in Goa with a large following among the other backward caste segments. On Thursday morning, he also met Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao at the Bishop's Palace in Panaji. The Ferrao visit is aimed at appeasing the 26 per cent strong Catholic community, which is being seen as a key to AAP's poll strategy this time round. AAP's first public meeting was held in the Benaulim legislative Assembly constituency, which is in the heart of the Catholic heartland in South Goa. While Ferrao's spokesperson described Kejriwal's visit as a "courtesy call", Kejriwal himself said that he sees all religions equally and celebrates and meets with people of all religions.
"I visit all religious places. In Delhi, I visit the Shiv ji mandir, I go to the Church. I meet the Arch bishop there and he also comes to meet me. Swamy jis also come to meet me, Maulanas also come to meet me. I celebrate Roza, Diwali, Dussehra and Christmas too," he said.