Statehood: AAP launches 'Delhi Maange Apna Haq'

NEW DELHI: With a massive gathering of public at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium cheering its leaders on, the Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday launched its signature campaign 'Delhi Maange Apna Haq' to garner public support for its demand for full statehood to the national Capital.

Leaders and workers of the party, between July 3 and 25, will seek signatures of 10 lakh residents in the national Capital.

Delhi AAP convenor Gopal Rai said his party's experience of governance, over the past three years, has been that the lack of full statehood status to Delhi obstructs development works.

Issues related to unemployment, college admissions and housing faced by people of Delhi would be solved if Delhi gets the full statehood status, said Rai.

"The Delhi Assembly has passed a resolution for full statehood. If full statehood is given, our revenue will surge," he added.

"In the present situation, the value of the votes of Delhi's people is half , compared to other states. The Narendra Modi government has turned it into zero," he alleged, referring to the frequent run-ins of the AAP-led Delhi government with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's Office over several issues, including administrative jurisdiction.

All senior leaders of AAP were present at the rally and everybody raised their voice demanding full statehood for Delhi.

The party has decided to make this its prime issue before the upcoming election.

The Opposition BJP and Congress, however, have slammed AAP for raising the issue and said they are diverting the attention from the real issue.

"CM @ArvindKejriwal stages drama to divert attention. Political brinkmanship with general elections in mind next year. AAP has no intention of working for Delhi. But his real intent behind bringing it up is to divert public attention from his misgovernance,incompetence & failures," said BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta.

Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken claimed that the AAP government was raising the demand for full statehood to hide its "failures" to perform and said the people should take a decision on the issue.

He also demanded that the Kejriwal government should come out with a "white paper" to tell the people of Delhi the benefits and drawbacks of full statehood.

The AAP government has called a three-day special session of the Assembly to discuss its demand for full statehood.