Shah: Welfare schemes to go on 'when BJP wins'

Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will continue welfare schemes "when it comes to power in Delhi" and urged people to vote out the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the upcoming state assembly elections on February 5.

- Alok K N Mishra

Addressing a "Slum Basti Pradhan Conference" at the JLN Stadium, Shah warned the public not to fall for "Kejriwal's tricks". Around 1,000 slum cluster leaders from across the city, besides residents, attended the event.

"Arvind Kejriwal has told slum dwellers that their homes will be demolished (when BJP comes to power in Delhi), but we (BJP) are the ones who care about the poor...today, the time has come to respond to Arvind Kejriwal, who has instilled fear among slum residents. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has guaranteed that if the BJP comes to power, no welfare scheme will be stopped in any way," Shah said.

"It's not too late; just remove Kejriwal's government and Modi's government will provide permanent houses for all the slum dwellers," he said.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal hit back at Amit Shah, saying he will prove his allegations.

"Today, Amit Shah ji abused me and the people of Delhi a lot. The people of Delhi will answer this in the elections. Amit ji told a lot of lies to the slum dwellers. Tomorrow morning, I will hold a press conference from a slum which they have planned to demolish after the elections. I will expose the dirty intentions of BJP with full evidence," Kejriwal said in a post on social media.