Welfare schemes empower deprived sections, 'revdi' culture is about freebies for political gains: BJP

The BJP Thursday claimed that while the central government's welfare policies empower different deprived sections of society with targeted schemes, some parties' engage in 'revdi' culture by dishing out freebies for everyone for political gains. "Revdi culture is about dishing out lollipops for political gains and it makes no transformation to people's lives. It misuses taxpayers' money with the rich benefiting at the cost of the poor," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said as he targeted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his counter-offensive after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's denunciation of freebies.

Modi named no one in his speeches but the AAP leader sprang to defend it due to his sense of guilt, Poonawalla told a press conference.

He referred to Kejriwal's promise of opening 500 new schools and claimed that two two dozen schools were shut in reality and accused him giving people "free corruption, pollution, advertisements and liquor" instead of free education, water, health and electricity.


He claimed more than 700 of the 1,027 schools the Delhi government runs do not have science and commerce teachers in Class 11 and 12 and over 745 schools have no principal. Nearly 418 schools have no vice principal and 40,000 seats meant for the economically weaker sections had not been filled according to the RTE act and the court had come down hard on this, he added.

Alleging corruption in the AAP government, Poonawala accused Kejriwal of protecting his ministers Satyendra Jain and Manish Sisodia and Delhi Waqf Board head Amanatullah Khan against graft charges.

He also cited the four CAG reports that were tabled "belatedly" by the AAP government and over which the LG had expressed serious concerns.

Poonawalla alleged that huge corruption and mismanagement had taken place in the Delhi Jal Board.

Tanker mafia was promoted instead and that is why these reports were suppressed, he alleged.

He also accused the Delhi government of insulting "women and sportspersons" by allegedly targeting CWG medal-winner Divya Kakran.

Poonawalla said the AAP social media team trolled Kakran and its leader Saurabh Bharadwaj "insultingly" asked her to show a certificate after she complained about not being given any financial benefits by the Kejriwal government.

He said Kakran then produced a certificate regarding her representing Delhi and alleged that the AAP has a history of insulting those who raise the honour of the national flag whether soldiers or sportspersons.

He asked Kejriwal to sack Bharadwaj from all positions in the party.