New Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal has been a "total failure", says BJP's South Delhi MP Member of Parliament from Delhi Ramesh Bidhuri, when asked to evaluate the Delhi Chief Minister's effort during the shutdown in wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhi too found him short of efficiency.
"Look, I am not saying this because I am from the opposition. But Kejriwal's response has been that of a total failure. He introduced an app for giving out rations. One, there is no transparency on that and more importantly, how can you expect a poor person with no Android phone or internet connection to register in an App to get ration during this time of distress?" said Bidhuri, while talking to IANS.
Kejriwal earlier said that ration would also be provided to the people without ration cards. However, such people need to apply online and on that basis, the government will provide them ration. Bidhuri alleges, while the genuinely needy are robbed off their chance to get it, those with ration cards stand to exploit the system.
BJP MLA Ajay Mahawar has levelled allegations of corruption in the ration supply. He has claimed that the quantity of ration meant for Narela has been found to be underweight.
Gambhir, who recently had an exchange with Kejriwal over Twitter blamed Kejriwal for the sudden exodus of migrants from New Delhi, that shook the conscience of the nation and sent the administration into a tizzy.
"Delhi government did not share the exact data of ration distribution and food. And if he could have done accommodation arrangements, then why did daily wagers leave Delhi in thousands?" asks Gambhir.
Earlier, in a ground investigation, IANS had found that accommodation facilities even after the migrant workers left Delhi in hordes weren't enough. Many were spotted sleeping on the banks of Yamuna, at night under the open sky, barely a few kilometers from the Chief Minister's residence.
Bidhuri went a step further than Gambhir to accuse Kejriwal of deliberately creating panic and orchestrating the exodus of migrant workers, mainly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, most of whom left for their homes on foot, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21 days pan-india shutdown.
He even adds that whatever ready to eat food is available in the national capital should be credited to NGOs and not Kejriwal. "We requested Kejriwal to provide us with kitchens so that we can serve food to the poor of Delhi. He didn't," claims Bidhuri.
As on Friday, Delhi has recorded a total 720 cases of Covid-19, out of which 12 have succumbed. As numbers rose, the Delhi government designated many places across the national capital as containment zones and completely sealed them. It includes prominent places like Bengali Market, at the heart of the capital.
With each new spate of cases, the onslaught of the opposition only rises against Delhi's CM who has recently come back to power and has battled two crisis since - the riots and Covid-19 outbreak.
Gambhir alleges, "Till now, the Chief minister has been late in reacting. As a result, Delhi is facing shortage of medical equipment and PPE kits, as well."
The Aam Aadmi Party could not be reached for its response, in spite of repeated attempts.
