Kejriwal guarantees free education, healthcare if elected to power in Gujarat

Ahmedabad: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy CM Manish Sisodia on Monday "guaranteed" free and quality education and healthcare in poll-bound Gujarat along the lines of Delhi if the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is voted to power.

Sisodia, who holds the portfolio of Education besides other departments, said good education is the right of every child in Gujarat, irrespective of whether he lives in a village, or city, or studies in a government or private school. In a joint press conference, Kejriwal promised free and quality healthcare to all in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"If voted to power, the AAP government will set up clinics like 'mohalla' clinics of Delhi at village and ward levels and improve the infrastructure of government hospitals to compete with private hospitals. The AAP government will also implement the Delhi scheme of free treatment for accident victims," Kejriwal said.

Reacting to the Gujarat government's decision to hike the compensation for families of martyred soldiers from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1 crore, Kejriwal said the move came after he made a similar promise to the protesting ex-servicemen in Gujarat during his visit two months back. Kejriwal demanded that the Gujarat government cover the martyred policemen as well as he had done in Delhi.

At the presser, Kejriwal introduced Sisodia as the "world's best education minister" quoting a New York Times report.

"We assure to provide the best education system to every child born in Gujarat as we have done in Delhi. I appeal to all to give Arvind Kejriwal a chance if you want Gujarat to progress and move forward," Sisodia said.