NEW DELHI, Jul 2: The Aam Aadmi Party Government is facing “obstacles” in governing as it has not entered into any “setting” unlike the previous dispensations in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today.
Kejriwal took on BJP and Congress, alleging both the parties have “similar characters” in terms of being “corrupt and exploitative”. He said that the task taken up during the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement was continuing.
“Some people wonder as to why the previous Delhi Governments did not face any such trouble. We too would have had a smooth ride had we not tried to shake the prevailing system. Previous Governments had entered into settings.
“For example, we could have entered into a setting with power companies. But our stance is of zero corruption. We took suo motu action against our minister based on an SMS by throwing him out of the Cabinet,” he said.
The AAP chief was speaking at the launch of ‘Bhagat Singh’s Jail Notebook’ at an event here. The Delhi Government will make the book available in school libraries, he said.
Kejriwal termed as “futile” the change of ruling parties at the Centre, saying the two parties were “equally corrupt, exploitative and unequal in their attitude towards the poor”.
“The more AAP is experimenting with new ideas, the more trouble it is facing. If we had not done anything and enjoyed power then our stint would have been smooth like others. But we will have to continue our struggle. The movement that was started during Anna’s time continues,” he said.
Recounting his decision to form a political party and its subsequent stunning electoral debut which he described as a “milestone”, Kejriwal said he now has to struggle “ten times” more as compared to the movement days.
“During our first 49-day Government, bribery across departments had stopped. We took similar action during the first four months of our present term but then the ACB was taken over by the Centre through paramilitary forces,” Kejriwal alleged.
On the legacy of Bhagat Singh, Kejriwal said the young revolutionary might not have foreseen that his ideas would continue to “haunt” the current ruling class like it had troubled the British.
“His ideas continue to inspire but the important question is whether even 10 per cent of his dreams have been fulfilled. Those dreams of justice and equality enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution,” he said.
AAP will contest the 2017 Assembly polls in Punjab. (PTI)
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