'Feel ashamed abroad to admit Delhi lacks essentials': S Jaishankar slams AAP ahead of Delhi polls

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. (File photo/ANI)

Ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government and said he feels "ashamed" to admit abroad that people in the national capital lack basic amenities under central scheme.

During an interaction with the South Indian community of Delhi on 'Viksit Delhi - Viksit Bharat', Jaishankar said, "Whenever I visit foreign countries, I hide one thing from the world. I feel ashamed to go abroad and say that people living in the national capital do not gas cylinders, or piped water under Jal Jeevan Mission and do not get the benefit of Ayushman Bharat."

"It is unfortunate that in the last 10 years, Delhi has been left behind. The residents of Delhi are not given their rights to water, electricity, gas, cylinders, health treatment. If the government here does not give you your rights then of February 5 you also think that this government should be changed," he added, ANI reported.

He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and said, "Ever since Narendra Modi became PM, the thinking of the world about India has changed a lot."

Delhi is set to vote on February 5 for 70 Assembly seats in a triangular contest among the AAP, BJP, and Congress. The BJP has been accusing the incumbent AAP government of failing to address basic necessities in the city despite being in power for a decade.

Earlier, at an election rally in the national capital on Saturday, accusing the AAP of engaging in corruption and sheltering illegal immigrants, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said there was a strong wave against AAP in Delhi. He claimed that the AAP is running a "3G" government of "Ghapla (corruption), Ghuspaithiyon ko panah (sheltering intruders), and Ghotala (scams)."

BJP leader Anurag Thakur also accused Arvind Kejriwal of making excuses instead of fulfilling his promises. The former Union Minister asserted that the 'lotus' would bloom in Delhi.

(With inputs from ANI)