The ever-in-conflict AAP government under the leadership of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal completes four years in the office. As we look back at the governance of AAP in Delhi, you will find several scams and incidents of conflict between the chief minister and the LG of Delhi and differences among their own party people than any development and good work done. Application in governance was expected from a government by a party which was formed out of an anti-corruption movement for the revolutionary Lokpal Bill. But what a big let-down!
To start with, 17 people charred to death in a hotel in Karol Bagh area of Delhi and the ‘honest’ government of Delhi failed to fix the responsibility as to who had given NOC to the hotel. The government had always had confrontationist attitude. It was at war with former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, and its at war with his successor Pradeep Baijal.
Despite making false claims, it failed to do anything on education as no benefits was passed on to either parents or students. Controversy over ration card by Delhi MLA Sandeep Kumar, then beating incidence of chief secretary, fake degree issue by one of the minister of the party, Somnath Bharati, one of MLA beating up he wife, hunger strike at the residence of LG, workers of the Delhi government going on strike, odd-even formula failing to give desired results, all IAS officers going on leave protesting against the government, allegations of CBI raids, use of marshals against opposition leaders in the Assembly, can be counted as ‘achievements’ of the Kejriwal government.
AAP leaders like Kapil Mishra, Ashutosh and many others were forced to go out of the party and people unknown to the party have been nominated to Rajya Sabha annoying party workers. AAP has been constantly in conflict with the Union home ministry.
The very ambitious project started by the AAP government the Mohalla Clinic which enabled people to receive medical help nearby their homes received great response initially. They publicized it widely and preached others to emulate their great model of social service through the mohalla clinics. But soon what came out was unimaginable statistics of patients to doctor ratios ferreted by the government. Each doctor, if we go by government figures, was treating two patients per minute. These figures alerted the vigilance authorities who initiated an enquiry as to what really the doctors were doing in these clinics.
The department has raised 11 points of concern to which it sought replies from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and the Chief Medical District Officer (CDMO). Currently the pilot project is operating in little more than 100 places across Delhi. It was found that the doctors were giving useless medicines to the patients so that they come back to them again and again. This was because the doctor’s payment or salary was based on the number of patients they treat. This extra ordinary speed aroused many eyebrows and as expected resulted in a scam entire country watched and mocked at.
Second fiasco too was related with people’s health. Enormous levels of pollution are faced by Delhi especially during winters when the fog mixes with the smoke giving rise to smog which is not only decreases the visibility in the capital making roads vulnerable to mishaps but also make the situation worse for asthma patients especially small children and senior citizens.
The AAP government has miserably failed in tackling the pollution in the capital. It started off with the controversial Odd-Even scheme under which the respective vehicles would be off road the motto being to lessen the number of vehicles on road. It did show initial result, but the solution was totally impractical for long term basis and withdrawn after some time. The government failed to have fruitful discussion with neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab to control the stubble burning by the farmers. The deadly smoke emanating from this stubble burning is threatening lives of Dehlities as well as the farmers themselves. But no tangible solution for alternative to stubble burning to farmers this menace continues to happen every winter endangering the lives in the Capital.
Kejriwal who the head of AAP and chief minister of Delhi state is better known as a U turn man than anything else. Arvind Kejriwal who during the anti-corruption movement with Anna Hazare vowed that he will never ever take any political post; the facilities and kickbacks he is enjoying today are everything he had denied earlier. Today Kejriwal is seeking alliance with all those leaders against whom he had claimed to have proofs of corruption. This includes the so-called proofs against Sheila Dikshit. Along with these U turns AAP has blatantly misused all the generous donations they have sought from general public in the name of corruption fight.
The misuse of power has been to grave that Arvind Kejriwal even dared to slap a respected IAS officer in fit of rage as he opposed something Arvind was proposing. This resulted in big agitation by the IAS officers which really earned bad name for his government. They failed to provide permanent job to teachers on contractual basis, who had helped him to win elections.
The government by Aam Aadmi Party is also allegedto have grossly misused the money of taxpayers. Their own celebrations claimed crores of rupees only on eating samosa and tea. During some other celebrations they claimed to eat a thali worth whopping rupee thirteen thousand. This huge let down by the government led many of their ardent followers and supporters drift away from the party which included the co-founders of the AAP and people like Kumar Vishwas.
Peddling such blatant lies and U turns has landed Kejriwal in many defamation suits against him filed in many courts. He was found to use the party funds for the personal cases, especially found in where had hired eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani and failed to pay his fees.
AAP has always been found to be supporting anti-national forces since their inception. When India did surgical strikes on Pakistan, Kejriwal was among first people to question the authenticity of the strikes along with Pakistan. He didn’t leave a chance to insult the brave Indian Army. He also did another betrayal of army when he supported the Kashmiri terrorist demand of accession of Kashmir to Pakistan. During Punjab assembly elections AAP was found to accept donations from Khalistani supporters. To make things worse he also gave ticket to terror sympathizers in Punjab elections.
AAP has insulted their core supporters by their weird, selfish and anti-national acts. To ride on the Modi hatred and generate sympathy among his supporters he planned stunts like getting ink thrown on himself and so-called bomb scare. To top it all, Kejriwal is now also siding with deadly Urban Naxals. In latest case he refused to sign on a case to be filed against the Tukde-Tukde Gang in JNU who dared to give slogans for division of India and pro terrorist slogans for Afzal Guru.
So, the four-year AAP government has a little to be proud of and lot of to be ashamed of. There is no doubt that name of Arvind Kejriwal will be registered in history as one who became corrupt leading all kinds of anti-corruption movements in India. The one who betrayed the poor Indians who donated money with so much hopes of getting a good governance in Delhi. Hope the same people will realize their mistake and make him history in coming assembly elections.
(The writer is Spokesperson, BJP; Views Personal)