'Kattar beimaan': PM Modi slams Delhi govt, says it's an 'AAPada' over city

Ahead of the 2025 Delhi assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a scathing attack at the Aam Aadmi Party and said that the national capital has been surrounded by a "disaster" in the last 10 years.

In a veiled jibe at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, the prime minister said that by keeping Anna Hazare at the front, “few 'kattar beimaan' (bigoted dishonest) people have pushed the national capital towards the 'aapda' (disaster)”.

"These people used to talk about Delhi's development...Ye AAP, ye 'aapda', Delhi par aayi hai', and hence the people of Delhi has waged a war against 'aapda'. Voters of Delhi have made up their minds to free Delhi from this 'aapda'," the PM said while speaking at an event at Ashok Vihar's Ramlila Ground.

Coming down strongly on the Atishi-led Delhi government, he said that the administration first indulges in corruption and then glorifies it. "First the theft and then the arrogance...this AAP has come to Delhi," he added.

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PM Modi pointed at how he provided houses and fulfilled the dreams of four crore people, never building a house for himself.

"The country knows it well that Modi never built a home for himself but has built more than 4 crore houses for the poor, 'Mai bhi koi sheeshmahal bana sakta tha (I could also have built a palace for myself),"

He told the people present at the event to pass on a message to the slum dwellers, "to ensure to tell them on my behalf that they will definitely get pucca houses, if not today, then tomorrow".

He slammed the AAP's "shamelessness" over the current situation of Yamuna. "What kind of aapda is this, they say that cleaning Yamuna won't get them votes - will you leave Yamuna like this if it doesn't get you votes?" the PM asked.

He further said that this 'disaster' has handed over the lives of Delhi residents to the "tanker mafia".

The prime minister said that his government has given an "in-principle agreement" to the many suggestions given by Delhi legislators on the projects that will help resolve the traffic issue in the capital.

"The year 2025 will give a new direction to the good governance in the national capital...New politics of public welfare and nation welfare will begin this year and hence 'Aapda ko hatana, aur BJP ko lana hai' (Have to remove the disaster, and bring in the BJP)," Modi said while batting for the saffron party ahead of the Delhi assembly polls.

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PM Modi pressed on the importance of cities and their development, saying that they hold a significant role in realizing the goals of a Viksit Bharat.

"Our cities play a very important role in developing India. People from far-off places come here with their dreams and spend their lives honestly in fulfilling those dreams. Therefore, the BJP government at the Centre is engaged in providing quality of life to every family living in the cities," he added.

He reiterated that the 2025 will be the year to strengthen India's position in the world, making it one of the biggest manufacturing centres in the world.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated the 1,675 newly constructed flats for the slum dwellers of the JJ clusters and also handed over house keys to beneficiaries eligible at Ashok Vihar's Swabhiman Apartments.

AAP responds

Hitting back at PM Modi's 'aapda' remark, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said, "Such statements do not suit a PM. In the past 10 years, the central government has half of Delhi and we have the other half. We have worked to improve sewage system, water supply, electricity... I want to ask what did the central government do for Delhi?"

Bharadwaj said that businessmen in the capital are getting extortion calls and "people are being murdered in broad daylight", adding that the situation in Delhi is worst now and "BJP's central government is responsible for this".