AAP lauds Delhi govt Budget, BJP calls it gimmick ahead of LS polls

New Delhi:The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders on Monday praised the Delhi government Budget presented by Finance Minister Atishi even as the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) termed it as a “gimmick” ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

AAP leader and Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the city government’s Budget for the year 2024-25 proposed a scheme to provide Rs 1,000 monthly to all women above 18 years beyond what was promised in the party’s manifesto for the elections.

“In this year’s Budget, we have proposed a provision for providing Rs 1,000 monthly to all women above 18 years of age in the city which were not even promised in the AAP’s manifesto,” Bharadwaj said after Atishi presented her maiden Budget in the Delhi Assembly.

“If the BJP opposes this scheme, will get on road to stage protests and like earlier when we protested to get CCTVs or mohalla clinics approved or how CM Kejriwal sat on a strike outside the LG’s house, this time also we will start agitation to get this scheme approved,” he added.

Lauding the Budget for championing women empowerment, AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha said the initiative will benefit many women.

“Kudos to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for championing women’s empowerment in Delhi! The introduction of a monthly ‘Samman Raashi’ of 1,000 rupees is a significant step, recognising and supporting the invaluable sacrifices women make for their families and the nation. Kudos to a government that truly values and uplifts women,” he wrote on X.

Meanwhile, the BJP leaders said the schemes announced in the Budget are bogus and have been announced to lure people ahead of the upcoming general elections.

“The Kejriwal government has made several promises earlier also not none of them were fulfilled. Whether it be the promise to provide water to Delhiites, electricity or any other promise. Everyone knows that whatever the AAP government is saying is a lie for the upcoming elections.

The AAP has been in power since the last nine years, they haven’t given a single penny to the women,” BJP leader Parvesh Verma said.