'You don’t understand Delhi and its people’: Arvind Kejriwal to LG Saxena on his freebies comment

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in a response to LG VK Saxena’s comment on freebies in the national capital, has said that the Lieutenant Governor does not understand Delhi and its people, and questioned why it is bothering him if the residents end up saving a little bit of money. 

“The people of Delhi are hard working people. They have beautified Delhi with a lot of hard work. LG sahib, you have come from outside, you do not understand Delhi and its people. Don't insult the people of Delhi like this. The Delhi government does not steal like other governments. By saving money, it is making it convenient for the people. Why is this bothering you?,” said CM Kejriwal in Hindi. 

The comments come after LG Saxena remarked that people have got used to freebies in Delhi. 

Not only CM Kejriwal, the LG’s comment did not go down well with many netizens, who questioned the many perks enjoyed by the LG himself, including unlimited electricity and water, free travel, internet and food etc. Many even pointed out that some Delhi residents pay up to lakhs in taxes, while some questioned the perks enjoyed by politicians.

This is not the first time Delhi's free education, healthcare and bus travel for women have been the bone of contention among opposing political parties, who have termed these as freebies or ‘revadi’. CM Kejriwal has defended these schemes many times in the past too. 

Recently, he said that these schemes are not freebies but waiving loans of friends and getting them tenders worth thousands of crores of rupees are ‘free ki revadi’. His comments followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks cautioning people against the ‘revadi culture’ of offering freebies for votes.

The PM had used ‘revadi’, a popular North Indian sweet distributed during festivals as a metaphor for freebies. 

"I am educated, I have a degree in engineering, I have also studied accounting and law. My degree is real, not fake. I understand everything. Today, after making so many things free for people, the Delhi government is still in profit," CM Kejriwal told a virtual press conference.

Also read: Arvind Kejriwal residence renovation: CAG begins 'special audit' of expenditure by Delhi CM

Also read: Deer Park in Hauz Khas to be shut down; deer to be moved to Delhi, Rajasthan forest areas