Taking a swipe at the AAP government, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday, 6 June, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced the proposal of providing free-ride to women in buses and metro without making any proposal, reported PTI.
Puri also termed Kejriwal a “disruptionist” and said Delhi's problems will be sorted out in six months as he apparently referred to the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.
The Union housing and urban affairs minister also likened the AAP government with theories of “broken window economics and broken window fraud”.
According to the Investopedia website, the 'broken window fallacy' was first expressed by the French economist, Frederic Bastiat. Bastiat used the parable of a broken window to point out why destruction doesn't benefit the economy.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government asserted it has a “concrete plan” to implement the proposal to make travel for women on buses free and said there is no lack of funds for it.
Earlier this week, Kejriwal announced that his government proposes to make travel for women free in public transport buses and Metro trains.
The move comes a few months ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Delhi.
"There are two types of syndrome. One is broken window economics and the other is broken window fraud. Before announcement of free-ride for women there should first be buses for this,” Puri said.
"Ask them (AAP government) as to how many buses they have against the sanctioned 11,000 buses in Delhi," Puri told reporters.
There are around 5,400 buses, including 3,700 DTC buses and 1700 cluster buses. As per the court order, there should be 11,000 buses in Delhi.
"Kejriwal has a problem of a different kind. He gives a full page advertisement, announcing that the scheme will start in next two-three months, but they don't have any proposal for it," he said.
‘BJP is All for Welfare of Women’
Puri alleged that the Kejriwal government has a budget of Rs 50,000 crore, but it was not being used in Swachhta, Ayushman Bharat and many other schemes run by the Centre.
"But, he (Kejriwal) wants to give a subsidy of Rs 1,200 to 2,500 crore, and we should discuss over it. BJP is all for (the welfare of) women. We will do whatever we can do,” Puri said.
"But, a scheme should not be like this – first its announcement and then preparing its proposal," he added.
The minister said that on the issue of unauthorised colonies, he exposed the AAP dispensation.
"We will sort out Delhi's problem. This phenomena is here only for another six months. I have no doubt. These are people who came at number 3 (In the Lok Sabha elections). They are disruptionists," he said.
The Aam Aadmi Party came third in all the seven seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections in Delhi.
No Lack of Funds to Implement Proposal: Sisodia
Meanwhile, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia slammed Puri's remark and said, “Whenever Kejriwal introduces a new scheme of this kind, it's made fun of. But when it's done, they say yes it is successful,”reported ANI.
Sisodia asked Puri to keep smiling and give his blessings to the people of Delhi, instead of criticising them.
The Delhi government asserted it has a “concrete plan” to implement the proposal to make travel for women on buses free and said there is no lack of funds for it, reported PTI.
Sisodia said a “very effective” plan is emerging and a lot of feedback is being received from the people on the proposal.
Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, said meetings are being held with officials of his department as well as the Delhi Metro with regard to the proposal.
"I directed the transport commissioner on June 3 regarding this proposal and on the same day, he wrote to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. Even today a meeting was held with the officials," Gahlot said.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)
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