New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday attended the party’s Auto Wing ‘Diwali Milan’ at the AAP headquarters, where he met auto drivers and listened to their grievances. Calling his bond with them “old and heartfelt,” Kejriwal said he has always felt a deep connection with Delhi’s auto driver community.
“I didn’t come here to deliver a speech but to meet you all. I have a long-standing affection for auto drivers,” he said, recalling how he supported them during the 2013 elections when “no one spoke for auto drivers.” He added, “They had made you villains, calling you thieves, looters, and criminals… Give them fair fares and proper meters, and see, every driver wants to work honestly.”
Criticising the current administration, Kejriwal said, “They had promised seven big benefits to auto drivers during the elections, but not a single one was fulfilled.” He also accused the government of betraying the poor, saying, “They had promised ‘Jahaan Jhuggi Wahaan Makaan,’ but turned it into ‘Jahaan Jhuggi Wahaan Maidaan.’”
AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj, who was present, said that Kejriwal attended the event despite a busy schedule. “This shows that the bond between Arvind Kejriwal and the auto drivers remains as strong today as it was years ago,” Bharadwaj remarked, adding that “today, all auto drivers of Delhi are troubled by the current government and are remembering Arvind Kejriwal.” Responding to Kejriwal’s remarks, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva accused him of hypocrisy. “Arvind Kejriwal did nothing to improve the lives of auto rickshaw drivers or other daily wage workers while he was Chief Minister, and now that he is out of power, he is shedding crocodile tears in front of them,” Sachdeva said. He added, “Rekha Gupta’s government will ensure better housing, better education, and better healthcare for auto drivers and all workers within the next one year.”