Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal
Credit: PTI Photo
Ahmedabad: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday attacked the BJP government for allegedly spending Rs 50 crore on recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the tribal area. The former Delhi chief minister claimed, citing an RTI response, out of Rs 50 crore, Rs 2 crore were spent on samosas alone.
"Why are tribal areas still the most backward despite billions being spent every year. If we spend the money honestly, we could build wonderful hospitals, schools, provide free electricity, road but the money never reaches," Kejriwal said while addressing party workers in Vadodara on the last day of his three-day Gujarat visit.
Kejriwal claimed an RTI filed by AAP MLA from Dediapada Chaitar Vasava revealed that the Narmada district administration spent Rs 50 crore for organising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public gathering. Kejriwal was referring to November 15 event "Janjatiye Gaurav Diwas" in which the prime minister participated to mark 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda.
"It was good that the country's prime minister came for which a huge event was organised. Vasava sought under RTI how much money was spent from Adivasi fund. RTI response revealed district administration had spend Rs 50 crore out of which Rs 5 crore for pandals, Rs 7 crores for buses and Rs2 crore for samosas. Who ate samosas worth Rs 2 crore from the tribal fund? Why the funds from the central government not used. Prime Minister could have spend Rs 20 crore or Rs 30 crore on samosas but why not from central funds. In Rs 2 crore, many hospitals and schools could have been built in tribal areas," Kejriwal claimed.
In his address to party workers, the AAP chief also mentioned a letter written by five sitting BJP MLA from Vadodara complaining to the chief minister Bhupendra Patel that the bureaucracy were ignoring public issues in their constituencies.
"Five BJP MLAs from Vadodara- Shailesh Mehta, Ketan Inamdar, Dharmendrasinh Vaghela, Akshay Patel and Chaitanyasinh Zala-wrote to chief minister saying that officers do not listen to their requests. I am told that chief minister responded, saying that even his own voice is not heard," Kejriwal claimed, adding that it "the letter highlighted a decline in the administrative system.
"The MLA themselves have mentioned that for an ordinary citizen, even the smallest tasks have become like a battle. This is the result of voting to BJP for the past 30 years," he said. The AAP leader has been frequently visiting the state in preparation for the 2027 Assembly election.