As the BJP once again failed to deliver on its promise of free gas cylinders for every household, anger flared across Delhi this Diwali. On Saturday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers gheraoed Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s residence, demanding that the BJP government fulfil its word. Led by former MLA Jitender Tomar and councillor Jalaj Chaudhary in Shalimar Bagh, and MLA Vishesh Ravi along with former MCD Mayor Mahesh Khichi in Karol Bagh, AAP held demonstrations with empty cylinders in hand. A large number of women joined the demonstration outside Rekha Gupta’s home, chanting “Aa gaya Diwali ka tyohar, muft cylinder do BJP sarkar” and demanding that the long-promised free cylinders finally reach Delhi’s homes.
Recalling the BJP’s unfulfilled election promises, AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj reminded the BJP of its commitment to provide a free gas cylinder to every household during Holi and Diwali. He wrote on X, “Women in Delhi have reached the residence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta in Shalimar Bagh to demand their free Diwali cylinder. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given a guarantee to the people of Delhi that every household would receive a free cylinder on Holi and Diwali. But the BJP government has not fulfilled these promises yet.”
He added, “Even during Holi, women in Delhi were waiting with hope that the BJP government would provide one free cylinder to every home — but it did not. Now Diwali is here, and women are still waiting to receive the free cylinder.”
During the protest, women told CM Rekha Gupta that the BJP had promised during the Delhi elections to provide free gas cylinders to women on Holi and Diwali. They said that Holi came and went, but Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and her BJP government did not let sweets be made at our homes. Now Diwali has arrived. On the auspicious occasion of Dhanteras, we expect Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to keep her promise by giving a free cylinder to every household in Delhi, so that people can make sweets at home and all Delhiites can celebrate Diwali with joy.
