'Throw Manoj Tiwari out of your house when he comes asking for votes'

Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday chastised Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari over his stand on full statehood to the national capital, and asked people to throw him out of their houses when he comes asking for votes. Addressing a rally at Gokulpur Jan Sabha here, Kejriwal said Tiwari has been telling people that full statehood cannot be granted to the national capital, which the AAP chief claimed was BJP's poll plank in the last election.

"Throw him out of your house when he comes to ask for your vote as now he says that full statehood cannot be granted to the national capital," he said. Kejriwal also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the worst thing he did was "pitting Hindus against Muslims".

"He destroyed the communal harmony of the country. For centuries, we have been hearing Hindu Muslim Sikh Issai (Christian) (aapas me hain) bhai-bhai (are brothers) but Modi destroyed it all by pitting Hindus against Muslims," he said. Accusing the Centre of creating hurdles in Delhi's development, the AAP leader said he faced obstructions at various stages to get clearance from the central government.

"Delhi would get nothing by making Congress president Rahul Gandhi a prime minister or reelecting Narendra Modi. Their parties did nothing for the national capital but just lied to its people" Kejriwal said. He said the people of Delhi pay Rs 1.5 lakh crore as Income Tax and receive only Rs 325 crore from the Centre. "Why should we pay so much and get so less in return? What have Delhiites done to the central government to deserve this? The situation is similar to the time before India got independence.

"First Britishers looted us, now the central government is looting us," the chief minister said. "Just for political rivalry, PM Modi stopped the development work for the common man of Delhi. Last time you voted for him, but this time do not vote for him. Otherwise he would not let me work for development," he added. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the city is fighting the Lok Sabha election on the agenda of granting full statehood to Delhi. The election to the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital will be held on May 12.

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