Home Minister Amit Shah wants to fight the entire Delhi election on the Shaheen Bagh protests, Arvind Kejriwal said today, questioning, "He is so powerful. Can he not open a road?" In an exclusive interview to NDTV ahead of the Saturday vote in the capital, the Delhi Chief Minister said no other party lies more than the BJP and a "great man like Amit Shah" also peddled lies.
Here are the highlights of Arvind Kejriwal's interview with NDTV:
Even our opponents Congress and BJP are happy with the work we have done in Delhi. They are saying they have never seen a government like this.
They have no issues to discuss, no leaders. The BJP has brought big leaders to campaign against a small party in Delhi.
First go to Gujarat and reduce electricity bills there before criticising Delhi.
If there is a party that's patriotic in this country, then it is the Aam Aadmi Party.
Who is getting benefit from Shaheen Bagh, ask yourself. It's the BJP that is benefiting.
Amit Shah is such a powerful person... he is the Home Minister of the country. If he wants, he can resolve the Shaheen Bagh issue in a matter of days, but instead their leaders say press the EVM (electronic voting machine) button so hard that the shock is felt in Shaheen Bagh. This is dirty politics. They cannot fight on issues of development.
The BJP is doing dirty politics over Shaheen Bagh. But the people are watching.
We are the first and only party in India since Independence that has shown the people of this country that elections and votes are on schools, hospitals, electricity and water.
In what way am I a terrorist? How can they label me a terrorist? I have dedicated my life to serve the people of Delhi. I have worked as their elder son. I have worked to ensure that they get free water, free electricity, get good facilities like schools and hospitals. Now it is for the people of Delhi to decide what I am.
Shaheen Shaheen Shaheen, Pakistan Pakistan Pakistan, that's all the BJP knows during this election.
The BJP benefits from keeping Shaheen Bagh alive. The BJP does not want Shaheen Bagh to be resolved. They do not have any work that they can show which can win them votes. They did nothing with MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) schools. They know they cannot fight us based on actual work and development done.
What will I do by going to Shaheen Bagh? I cannot do anything about it. Is the police with me or with the centre? If I had the Delhi Police under the Delhi government, I would resolve Shaheen Bagh and open that vital stretch of road within two days.
I have only one aim... how can the country move forward, and how can people move forward? That is all I care about.
The BJP is down to spreading lies. They click photos of schools that have closed down as children have moved to new buildings, and show them as dilapidated for students. What a lie... in fact your channel also investigated the case and found out that the BJP is lying.
If you fight election over Hindu-Muslims, Shaheen Bagh, the country will not progress. One should fight for real issues.
The reason we have not mentioned a word about corruption is because corruption has completely finished in Delhi. There is no corruption anymore whatsoever. Only after that, all the good work has been done. So we have not spoken a word about corruption, though it was the core issue in the previous election.