Modi cites 'shamshan' to seek votes, says Kejriwal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks votes in Uttar Pradesh in the name of "shamshan ghat" (cremation ground) and not on the basis of his work, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday.

Saying that he has listened to all speeches of Modi in the Uttar Pradesh election campaign, Kejriwal told the Delhi assembly on the second day of the budget session that there was a difference in his and the Prime Minister's approach.

"Modiji seeks votes in the name of 'shamshan ghat'," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said, referring to Modi's remarks that the Samajwadi Party (SP)-led Uttar Pradesh government should not differentiate between Muslim graveyards and Hindu cremation grounds.

Speaking towards the end of the debate on Lt. Governor Anil Baijal's address to the house, Kejriwal pointed out that when he campaigned in Punjab and Goa, he sought votes on the strength of the AAP government's performance in Delhi.

Responding to Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta's statement that there was no mention of most of the AAP's poll promises in Baijal's speech, Kejriwal said the party's election manifesto was like Bible for him and that all promises would be fulfilled.

"Every government can praise its own work. But when common people praise our government and tell us how their lives have changed (due to our work), that is the real certificate for our work," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal said the AAP government had performed well despite various hurdles of the central government, while the latter "failed to perform even without any hurdles".

He challenged Modi to list any five major works done by him that had benefitted the people.

Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Partyy (BJP) and the Congress of working together, Kejriwal said: "All parties are hell bent on destroying us."

"They were all like a big happy family and are now upset with outsiders like us coming into the picture."

"That is why not even a 'sarpanch' of the Congress has been arrested while 20 of our MLAs have been arrested so far," the Chief Minister said.

He added that the Modi government was using the Income Tax Department to harass those who donated money to the AAP.

"I also worked in the Income Tax Department but I have never seen politicisation of a government department to such level."

BJP leader Vijender Gupta earlier said the city government failed to address the issues of Mohalla Sabhas, Lokpal Bill, last-mile connectivity and Aam Aadmi Canteens -- AAP's poll promises -- in the Lt Governor's address on Monday.

"The government made tall promises but failed to construct even a single school in unauthorised colonies where they are needed the most," Gupta said.

He also accused the government of making no attempts to fill 29,623 vacancies for teachers despite claiming to have education as its top-most priority.

The motion of thanks on the Lt Governor's address was passed through a voice vote after the debate.

Addressing the Delhi assembly on the opening day of the budget session on Monday, Baijal listed out the work done by the AAP government in the last two years.

--IANS

vv-am/nir/vt