The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly objected to BJP government’s controversial decision to seize old vehicles at petrol pumps and artificially induce rainfall during monsoons. Delhi AAP President Saurabh Bharadwaj took potshots at the BJP government’s functioning, saying, “The BJP doesn’t know how to govern—this isn’t a government, it’s a gram panchayat from Phulera.” He warned that seizing vehicles at petrol pumps would lead to physical altercations between employees and vehicle owners.
Saurabh Bharadwaj also noted that the Rekha Gupta administration is merely pretending to fix Delhi’s roads, pointing out that while minor potholes had been patched up, the major ones were left untouched. “This government is only interested in making excuses. For the next five years, they’ll do nothing but blame Arvind Kejriwal,” he said.
Pointing out to the BJP-led Delhi Government’s erratic and impractical governance decisions, particularly its policy to seize old vehicles at petrol pumps starting July 1 and its bizarre plan to conduct artificial rain in the middle of the monsoon, AAP’s Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “BJP is not running a government in Delhi, it is operating like a Phulera Panchayat. If old vehicles must be removed, was there no other method available? Will you now create chaos and fights at petrol pumps? Is this how a government functions?”
“There will be scuffles between pump employees and customers. The Petrol Pump Owners’ Association has itself said this policy is impractical. These people neither know how to run a government, nor are they capable of it,” he added.
Questioning the decision to implement an artificial rain pilot despite continuous rainfall in Delhi, the AAP Delhi State President added, “Which officer decided that a pilot project for artificial rain should be conducted during monsoon, when it’s already raining in Delhi? Even a Phulera Panchayat wouldn’t take such a senseless decision. May God grant BJP leaders some wisdom. The same officers who used to obstruct routine work are now clearing files like these. When the Aam Aadmi Party returns to government, all these decisions will be thoroughly investigated.”
On the BJP’s political excuses, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “For the next five years, CM Rekha Gupta will do nothing but abuse AAP. And five years later, she will say nothing happened because Arvind Kejriwal did this or that. When AAP contested and defeated Sheila Dikshit, we never made excuses. We respected the mandate and did the work. This BJP government has no intent to work, only to give excuses. If they last five years, they will only make excuses.”
Taking to X, he further wrote, “Was there really no other way to restrict old vehicles? Now that the monsoon is here, they want to run a pilot project for artificial rain. They filled small potholes but left the big ones as they were. They don’t know how to govern, and governance is beyond their capabilities.”
Saurabh Bharadwaj also raised critical questions over the silence of IAS and IPS associations after BJP councillors in Odisha assaulted an IAS officer. He said, “In Odisha’s Bhubaneswar, BJP councillors thrashed an IAS officer. In Delhi, when Anshu Prakash was allegedly slapped, they made it a national issue. Where are all those IAS officers now, the ones who used to appear on TV to abuse AAP and Arvind Kejriwal? Where are the BJP leaders who used to scream about anarchy? Will all IAS officers across the country now go on strike?”
Taking a direct swipe at the IAS Association, Saurabh Bharadwaj asked, “Does the IAS Association now consider itself a political body? When BJP MP Manoj Tiwari grabbed the collar of an IPS officer, there was silence. No strike, no outrage. Does BJP control the IAS, IPS, and other allied services? Do these associations work at the behest of the BJP?”
He posted on X, “IAS officer beaten up in Odisha. In BJP-ruled Odisha, BJP councillors repeatedly assaulted an Additional Commissioner. This happened in the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. Did you see any debate on it in the media? Did the IAS Association hold a press conference? Why is no one’s blood boiling now?”