Love India, its people irrespective of caste, religion: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday urged people to fill their hearts with love for the country and not to hate people from any religion or group.

Addressing the city at the Chhatrasal Stadium here to mark the Republic Day, Kejriwal also said that truly patriotic also have the purest heart.

"The need of the hour is to fill yourself with the love for the country but that doesn't mean attacking people of a particular group or hating them.

"Those who truly have patriotism also have the purest heart. They love each and everyone, they love people from all castes and religions. We should help each other as humans, and not care about religion or caste," he said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief while unfurling the national flag said he desired to see India as the best nation in the world.

Kejriwal also exhorted the children to cultivate the feelings of patriotism and communal harmony.

"When the freedom fighters sacrificed their lives for the nation, what was their dream?

"At times I wonder if the freedom fighters would have agreed to sacrifice their lives if they knew that the country will be destroyed like this after freedom," he said.

He said that in 70 years, the poor were deprived of education and even the middle class could not access proper and affordable health care.

"Political parties have destroyed the country.

"Can we, after 70 years of freedom, say that the country has fulfilled the dreams of those who sacrificed their lives for the nation?"

Kejriwal then spoke about the AAP's sweeping victory in Delhi Assembly elections in 2015.

"Delhi, some four years ago, decided to bring a change by electing a new kind of government. The current government of Delhi is a revolution," he said.

"I am very proud to say after four years in power that if a child is born (in Delhi), he is assured of good education and proper and affordable health care.

"Farmers in Delhi are given compensation and are not forced to commit suicide. The government is giving 24x7 and cheapest electricity to its people," he said.

Kejriwal said the work "we were doing now should have been done in 1950 or 1955. The countries which got Independence after us are ahead of us".

He also blamed the Centre for restricting the works done by his government in Delhi.

"The country and the world is looking at the Delhi government for its works. The work done by the Delhi government is restricted. I want to ask what wrong we are doing by building schools, Mohalla Clinics, hospitals for our people?"

Delhi Cabinet Ministers Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, Gopal Rai, Imran Hussain, Rajendar Pal Gautam, Kailash Gahlot and Chief Secretary Vijay Dev were present on the occasion.

The Chief Minister took the guard of honour from the contingents of Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, Civil Defence, NCC and the school children.

A colourful cultural programme was also presented by the school children.

--IANS

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