Urging the people of Delhi to vote only if they believed in his work and honesty, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal has put his integrity to the test in his powerful address to Public in ‘Janta Ki Adalat’ at Jantar Mantar on Sunday. The AAP Supremo and former Chief Minister of Delhi directly reached out to the people of Delhi, declaring the upcoming Assembly elections as his “litmus test.”
While lashing out at political rivals, he said, “These people (BJP) are thick-skinned, untouched by corruption charges, but when they call me corrupt, it deeply affects me.” Announcing his plan to vacate the CM residence, he vowed to live among the people after Navratri, reaffirming his connection to the public.
Addressing the people gathered at the Jantar Mantar, AAP National Convenor said, “Today, I feel very nice to be amongst you people and remember the old days at the Jantar Mantar. I still remember 4th April 2011 when the biggest anti-corruption movement of independent India, the Anna Andolan, commenced from here. For 1.5-2 years, we protested sometimes at the Jantar Mantar, sometimes in Mumbai, sometimes at the Ramlila Maidan, But the government of that time was also very arrogant.”
The AAP National Convenor shared, “They (the then Central government) did not listen to us and challenged us to contest and win the election. We were ‘small people’ and did not know how to contest elections. Money and muscle power is needed to contest elections. We had neither money, no cadre, nor muscle power. How could we contest elections? But they kept telling us to contest elections and win.”
“We contested elections, and the people elected us to power. For the first time, the AAP formed the government in Delhi. In the 2013 elections, we proved in the country that elections can be contested and won honestly. At that time, various political parties used to say that our candidates would lose their security deposits, except Arvind Kejriwal,” he added.
“Our government was formed for the first time in Delhi for 49 days. We were fighting elections honestly, we had no money, no cadres; we proved to the country that elections can be fought honestly,” said the AAP chief.
Arvind Kejriwal said, “For the last 10 years, we were honestly running the government in Delhi, saving the public money. We gave such facilities to the people that no one can even imagine. We provided 24×7 power supply; made electricity, water, bus rides free for women. Made free pilgrimages for the elderly possible. We built excellent hospitals, Mohalla clinics to provide free treatment to the people of Delhi. Government schools were made outstanding to provide great education, giving a bright future to children.”
The AAP National Convenor said his government worked honestly for 10 years. PM Modi started feeling that if he has to win against AAP, then attack their honesty, prove them dishonest. So, the Prime Minister hatched a conspiracy to prove Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and the AAP dishonest. Under the conspiracy, he put all our big leaders in jail one by one. “After coming out of jail, I resigned. You must be wondering why Kejriwal resigned. I resigned because I did not join politics to do corruption or earn money; I have no lust for power or the CM’s chair,” he said.
Arvind Kejriwal said if he had to earn money, he would have continued to work as an Income Tax Commissioner, which could have made him earn as much as he wanted. “I did not come here to earn money. I came here for the country, for Mother India; to change the politics of the country,” he said.
The AAP supremo said these leaders do not care about allegations made against them as they have thick skin. You can level as many charges as possible against them, they are least bothered. “I am not a leader, I do not have a thick skin, it matters to me. When the BJP people call me a thief, corrupt or abuse me, it makes a difference to me. Today I am very sad from within, my soul is in pain. That is why I resigned. I have no bank balance; my party’s coffers are empty. I have only earned respect and honesty in my life,” he said.
Arvind Kejriwal said, “In a few days I will be leaving the CM’s bungalow. Today after 10 years since I resigned, I don’t even have a house in Delhi. Many people tell me what kind of a man you are, you remained CM for 10 years, you could have built 10 bungalows in 10 years.
“I have not earned anything in 10 years, I have only earned your love and blessings. And the result of this love is that today when I am leaving the official accommodation, so many people in Delhi are offering me their houses, without rent. I thank all of you,” he said, adding that as soon as Navratri starts, he will leave the CM residence and “come to any of your houses and start living with you”.
The AAP National Convenor said Modi imposed the most stringent law, PMLA, on us, in which even bail is not available. But the case was fake. I thank the Supreme Court; they gave bail to all of us because they also knew that the case was frivolous. When I came out of jail, I thought in my mind that until the court does not honorably acquit me, I will not sit on the CM’s chair again. But my lawyers told me that this case can drag on for a very long time, maybe for 10 to 15 years.
“So, I decided that I will go to the court of my people, who should tell me whether I am honest or not. Forget about working with this stigma, I cannot even live with this taint,” he said.
Recounting the facilities provided to Delhiites for free, Arvind Kejriwal said if I were dishonest, would I have been able to make electricity free in Delhi? It costs Rs 3,000 crore to make electricity free in Delhi. If I were dishonest, I would have pocketed Rs 3,000 crore. What was the need to make electricity free? “If I were dishonest, would I have made bus rides for women free, built schools for your children, made your treatment free? I would have misappropriated all the money,” he said.
The AAP National Convenor said these people (BJP) have governments in 22 states, but electricity is not free anywhere. So, who is the thief? They have governments in 22 states, but women’s fares are not free anywhere, so who is the thief?
Seeking justice in the people’s court on his honesty, Arvind Kejriwal said, “Today I have come among you to ask you whether Kejriwal is a thief or the people who sent Kejriwal to jail are thieves. You have to decide.”
Arvind Kejriwal said that today the condition of the education system in our country is very bad. Those who have money send their children to private schools. Those who do not have money, send them to government schools out of compulsion. Every government of this country has ruined the government schools of this country in 75 years. “But by the grace of God, this country got a Manish Sisodia. After 75 years, a person came to this country, who gave hope of the future to the children of the poor. A rickshaw puller, laborer and farmer had no hope left that his child can also become something when he grows up. Today, by providing good education to their children, Manish Sisodia has given them hope,” he added.
“PM Modi kept such Manish Sisodia in jail for two years. Manish Sisodia’s life is not his own life. Manish Sisodia’s life is the life of the country. Every moment of his life is the moment of this country. These two years have not been wasted for Manish Sisodia, but for this country. If Manish Sisodia had been out of jail, who knows how many more schools would have been built, who knows how many children would have got education,” affirmed the AAP supremo.
Arvind Kejriwal said that the upcoming elections are not ordinary elections. The upcoming elections in Delhi are ‘Kejriwal’s litmus test’. If you think Kejriwal is honest, then vote for me, if you think Kejriwal is dishonest, then don’t vote for me at all.
Waving the broom he brought, the AAP chief asserted, “This ‘jhadu’ (broom) is not only the election symbol of the AAP, but also a symbol of faith. When a person goes to cast his vote and presses the broom button, they first close their eyes and take the name of God. When they presse the broom button, they think that they are pressing the button of honesty. They are pressing the button to form an honest government. Press this broom button only if you think Kejriwal is honest, otherwise don’t press this broom button.”
People’s craze for Arvind Kejriwal was evident, as Jantar Mantar was filled with people
After resigning from the post of Delhi Chief Minister, AAP’s National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal addressed the ‘Janta Ki Adalat’ organized at Jantar Mantar on Sunday. During this, the craze of the people of Delhi for him was worth seeing. A large number of workers and common people from all over Delhi gathered at Jantar Mantar to listen to him and the entire Jantar Mantar was filled with the crowd of people. Despite the heat, people remained steadfast. When Arvind Kejriwal stood on the stage to give the address, people raised slogans of ‘My Kejriwal is honest’ and ‘Bhrashtachar ka ek hi kaal, Kejriwal-Kejriwal’.
People arrived with posters and banners of ‘My Kejriwal is honest’
People who came to Janta Ki Adalat gave a lot of love to their son Arvind Kejriwal. Many people arrived with posters and banners of ‘My Kejriwal is honest’ and ‘I love Kejriwal’. During Arvind cKejriwal’s speech, people raised their hands together and said that Arvind Kejriwal is not corrupt, but the people who sent him to jail are corrupt.