New Delhi:
Delhi Congress candidate from Ballimaran Haroon Yusuf on Wednesday alleged that AAP national convenor and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal supported the RSS ideology and “ignored” for vote-bank politics those injured in violence during the anti-citizenship law protests.
He also said the Congress will respond to BJP’s “vicious model of politics” at the right time.
“Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is basically a supporter of the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and people know it now,” Yusuf told PTI in an interview.
“He did not even bother to visit the students injured during protests. Even if an enemy gets injured, it’s moral responsibility of a person holding a constitutional post to go and visit him,” said Yusuf.
Asked about BJP leader Anurag Thakur’s objectionable remarks at an election rally in Delhi, the 61-year-old said he has never come across “such vicious model of politics” in his political career.
“Some elements are trying to scare people. We will respond at the right time,” said Yusuf, who is pitted against AAP candidate and sitting MLA Imran Hussain and BJP’s Lata Sodhi in Ballimaran.
The five-time MLA from the constituency also said if the Congress is voted to power in Delhi, it will bring in a resolution against the amended citizenship law, like the other party-ruled states.
He said the protest against the law and the National Register of Citizens was not just to “protect Muslims” but every poor Indian who could face trouble due to these measures.
Asked why senior Congress leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were yet to campaign for party candidates, Yusuf said, “Many senior leaders like Raj Babbar are campaigning… The BJP has deployed all its senior leaders because they are scared and frustrated.”
On the allegation that Congress practices “dynasty politics” and is fielding family members of prominent party leaders in this election, he said, “If a son of doctor wants to become a doctor, is it against the Constitution. There are several such examples in the BJP too.”
“It is up to the public, they can elect or reject the candidate (who comes form a political family). That’s the beauty of democracy,” Yusuf said.
“The (Congress) party has a history of sacrifice. Two prime ministers from the Congress died in the line of duty. The Gandhi family is a magnet that keeps the people united. Crores of people associate themselves with the Congress because the party doesn’t differentiate between them,” he said.
On the delay in the hanging of the Nirbhaya gang-rape convicts, he said the culprits should be punished soon.
He said if the Congress forms government in Delhi, it won’t give speeches and talk about “commandos”, but work on the ground to make Delhi safe for women.
To ensure safety of women travelling in DTC buses, the Kejriwal government has deployed around 16,000 marshals in buses.
On extreme levels of pollution in Delhi, the Congress candidate said the AAP government fought the problem only through newspaper advertisements and “according to a doctor at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, those who have suffered heart attack even once should leave Delhi without thinking about it”.
Delhi Congress president Subhash Chopra has claimed that around 65,000 people have died in the national capital in the last six years due to pollution-related health problems.
The Kejriwal government gave priority to speeches and announcements and ignored the need to strengthen the public transport system, Yusuf alleged.
He also claimed the AAP government’s free water and electricity schemes were an eyewash and people complain of receiving hefty bills.
The Kejriwal dispensation has been providing 20,000 litres of water and 200 units of power free to all households — key poll promises made in the AAP manifesto in 2015. To level with AAP, Congress has also announced relief on electricity consumption of up to 600 units and 20,000 litres of water free along with 30 paise as cashback on each litre of water saved.
On Kejriwal’s announcement that the party will make Delhi as beautiful as London and Paris if voted to power for another five years, Yusuf said, “He can make London and Paris like Delhi.”
“On Wednesday, I and my party colleagues had to campaign in Amarpuri on a road buried four-inch deep in the muck. Is this the development the Kejriwal government boasts of,” he asked.
Yusuf alleged the AAP government did not pay attention to developing education infrastructure in Ballimaran and “school buildings are in such bad shape that parents are afraid of sending their kids to classes”.
Asked who in the Congress can challenge Kejriwal, he said, “Every leader in our party has the capability do so.
