AAP accuses BJP of 'betraying' Delhi women over honorarium issue

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday accused the BJP of "betraying" the women of Delhi by failing to fulfil its election promise of providing a monthly honorarium of Rs 2,500 to them.

Addressing a press conference here, AAP legislator Kuldeep Kumar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his election rallies in Delhi, assured that the financial assistance scheme would be passed in the first Cabinet meeting of the new government.

The BJP government had promised to launch the scheme by March 8 but it has not taken any steps in this regard, Kumar, the MLA from Kondli assembly segment, said.

"It was not passed in the first Cabinet meeting. We thought if not in the Cabinet, it would be done in the assembly session. But instead of addressing this issue, BJP leaders spent the entire session abusing Arvind Kejriwal. They have betrayed the women of Delhi," Kumar said.

The AAP MLA reminded the BJP of the timeline set by Modi himself and claimed that Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was set to break the prime minister's promise to the women of Delhi.

"The AAP had not given the date of March 8 (International Women's Day). The BJP and the prime minister gave this date. Now, the Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government is set to break the PM's promise to the people of Delhi," he said.

During the Delhi Assembly elections, the BJP had promised Rs 2,500 per month to the women in the city, surpassing the AAP's offer of Rs 2,100.

The BJP swept the elections, winning 48 out of 70 seats, reducing the AAP to 22, while the Congress failed to secure any seats.

With March 8 approaching, the AAP has demanded a clear answer from the BJP government on when the promised funds will start getting credited to women's accounts.

"Women in Delhi are waiting for Rs 2,500. The BJP should tell them when the money will start to come," Kumar said.