Delhi left behind as AAP govt kept fighting with Centre: Amit Shah

BJP leader Amit Shah on Monday said states with a double-engine BJP government have progressed in the last 10 years, but Delhi has been left behind because the Aam Aadmi Party kept making excuses and fighting with the Centre.

Speaking at a public meeting in Jangpura, Shah called AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia "bade miyan and chote miyan" and accused them of "looting" Delhi.

"States having a double-engine BJP government have progressed in the last 10 years. Delhi has been left behind, they keep making excuses and fighting with the Centre like a cry baby (babua sa munh banakar)," the Union Home Minister said.

Firing a fresh salvo at Sisodia, who is contesting from the Jangpura Assembly seat against BJP's Tarvinder Singh Marwah, Shah said he is the only education minister in the country who went to jail in connection with a liquor scam.

He alleged that Kejriwal lied to the people of Delhi and gave them only garbage, toxic water, and corruption.

"'Bade miyan and chote miyan' looted Delhi after making false promises. They are both going to lose the elections," he said.

Shah claimed that BJP is the only party that can transform Delhi into a world-class capital city.

He also attacked Kejriwal for failing to fulfill his promise of taking a dip in the Yamuna.

"Kejriwal did not take a dip, so BJP workers dipped his cutout in the river. They found that pollution in the river made the cutout so sick that it had to be admitted to AIIMS," Shah quipped.

The BJP leader promised to develop a riverfront on the Yamuna within three years and provide free healthcare under the Ayushman Scheme for Delhi residents.

He reminded people that Kejriwal had promised not to take official perks like a house, car, or security before becoming chief minister.

"After becoming the chief minister, he availed a car, security, and a bungalow. Not satisfied with one bungalow, he demolished four and built a 'sheesh mahal' on 50,000 gaj (square yard), with designer marble, remote-controlled curtains, motion sensor lights, a golden commode, carpet worth Rs 50 crore, a water purifier worth Rs 15 crore, and a reclining sofa worth Rs 15 lakh," Shah alleged.

Attacking Sisodia, he accused the AAP leader of neglecting education and instead opening liquor shops in every corner of Delhi, including near religious places.

Shah also spoke about the "surgical strikes" against Pakistan-based terrorists in late 2016.

"Pakistan orchestrated attacks in Uri and Pulwama, they forgot that Narendra Modi is the prime minister of India, not Manmohan Singh. Within 10 days, we neutralised the terrorists by conducting surgical strikes," he said.

He said Modi has worked to end terrorism in India in the past 10 years, and his government will eradicate Naxalism by March 2026.

Shah also said that opposition leaders, including Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, and Mehbooba Mufti, would warn about "rivers of blood" if Article 370 was revoked in Jammu and Kashmir.

"We removed Article 370. Forget rivers of blood, no one can dare throw a pebble (kankar)," he said.

Referring to the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, he said, "Ram Lala lived in a tent for 550 years before Modi won the case (Babri Masjid demolition case) and constructed the Ram Temple within five years.