Row over Kejriwal’s residence expenditure: BJP draws parallel with ‘palaces’ of Saddam, Kim Jong Un

PTI, May 5, 2023, 2:34 PM IST

The BJP on Friday fired a fresh salvo at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal amid the row over the Rs 45 crore expenditure on his residence, comparing him with the likes of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in terms of ”luxury” linked to their ”palaces”.

BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi played videos of Kejriwal’s old statements in which he presented himself as a crusader against political leaders spending public money on maintaining expensive lifestyles, including big houses, and luxurious cars.

Trivedi hit out at Kejriwal, quoting a 2013 tweet of him in which he had targeted the then Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit for allegedly having 10 ACs in her house when so many people lived in slums.

He accused the Aam Aadmi Party leaders of playing an ”important role” in creating a crisis of credibility in Indian politics and claimed that it is the conduct of the likes of him that causes distrust among people about the political class.

The BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi symbolises credibility while the AAP and other opposition leaders symbolise the crisis facing it, the Rajya Sabha leader alleged.

Hinting that the AAP government deliberately divided the expenses on Kejriwal’s house under various projects to keep every single budget estimate under ceiling to avoid scrutiny, Trivedi said government agencies will do their job as per the law but Kejriwal’s party should provide ”political and moral” answers.

Noting that Kejriwal’s residence has doors controlled by sensors, he took a swipe at the AAP leader, saying he is running everything from his party to governments, including the one in Punjab, by remote control.

He said, ”Kejriwal’s luxurious palace unveils so many truths about him. The way and extent of the luxury Kejriwal’s palace possesses seem similar to Saddam Hussein’s and Kim Jong Un’s palaces one has heard.” Kejriwal’s Party has not only attained national stature but ”international” recognition too, he said in a jibe at the AAP.

Trivedi added, ”The issue here is not just to make allegations, to just show the real face, the issue is about the pain, about the betrayal that the people of Delhi have experienced! The people of Delhi had believed him, and he so shamefully cheated on them all.”