Crumbs for sanitation workers, crores for ads: Cong slams AAP

Had the Balmiki community not extended their full support, AAP would not have come to power in Delhi, says Congress' Ajay Maken

Accusing AAP of "throwing crumbs" at sanitation workers, Congress today ridiculed the Arvind Kejriwal government's decision to set aside Rs 526 crore as advertisement funds instead, terming it as an exercise of "self publicity".

"AAP government has put a huge outlay in its maiden budget for self publicity in newspapers, television and radio. But it was very shameful that it did not have money to pay the wages of the poor sanitation workers," Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said.

Maken was addressing a convention of sanitation workers of Delhi municipal bodies at a time when political parties are trying to mobilise them following their 10-day strike over non-payment of salaries which crippled civic services at various pockets of the national capital.

"It is shameful that the MCD sanitation workers had to resort to dharnas and strikes to get their wages and some crumbs were thrown at them with the rider that they should not come to the AAP government with their grievances again," he said.

Maken underlined that had the Balmiki community not extended their full support, AAP would not have come to power in Delhi with such a huge majority.

He also referred to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's "support" to the workers, who had met them twice during the agitation last month.

AICC Delhi in-charge P C Chacko also addressed the workers.