Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday launched a campaign with a tagline "Revdi Par Charcha" to seek public feedback on revdis or freebies.
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal launched the campaign with his colleagues at the party office, saying while the opposition calls freebies “revdi”, the party calls it services. The campaign will start on November 25 and will continue for 15 days until December 10, discussing the issues with common man.
The opposition has been targeting the AAP for providing free electricity, water and free public buses for women among other facilities. The party, however, feels freebies help citizens live a life of dignity.
AAP’s Delhi unit chief Gopal Rai said that so far, politicians used to enjoy the facilities, while citizens paid taxes. “Arvind Kejriwal’s government decided that the people should also get the facilities like the politicians,” he said, adding the BJP called their attempt “revdis”.
“We are launching the ‘Revdi Par Charcha’ campaign. The discussion will be held across the city. People will be asked if the government should provide the facilities or not,” he said.
Kejriwal said 65,000 meetings will be held across Delhi at micro levels by the AAP leaders and workers. “We have six revdis for the people of Delhi. The PM and BJP have said several times that Kejriwal is providing freebies to the people that should be stopped. The people will now tell us if they want these six freebies. BJP calls it revdi, we call it services. If the BJP is elected here, they will stop these services immediately,” Kejriwal said.
Listing the six services, he said Delhi is getting included free electricity round the clock. “There was a time when Delhi used to see power cuts for 8-10 hours. We ensured that the situation changes,” Kejriwal said.
He listed that his party is providing free water, free pilgrimage to senior citizens, free bus rides to women, free world-class education and free medicine and treatments.
The pamphlet launched by Kejriwal also listed that soon the women in Delhi will get Rs 1,000 per month as well, later termed as the seventh ‘revdi’ by Kejriwal.
The paper, meant to be circulated across Delhi, also reads that if the reader feels they are getting huge water bills, they should not pay it. “We will waive all water bills once Kejriwal is re-elected,” it reads.
Kejriwal, in his speech, assured that whatever work is left will be completed in the next term, if he is re-elected in the 2025 assembly polls, adding his calculation says that they are winning as many seats as they bagged in 2020 – 62 of 70.
“Delhi is a half-state. The remaining half is of the LG and BJP. We did so much for the city, they should now tell what have they done in the past 10 years? If you have not done anything in a half-government, why should we give you full power,” he added.
Party leader Manish Sisodia, while launching the campaign, said, Kejriwal was able to achieve these goals as he had the vision and dedication to allow people a life of dignity.
“When we get a chance to work for the people as a government, we attempt to help them with a life of dignity. People wanted electricity, water, loan-free quality treatments at the hospital and loan-free quality education for their children and we try to provide them with these,” Sisodia said.
The term of the current assembly will end in February 2025 and the elections will be held around January-February.
(With inputs from PTI)
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