What AAP achieved in 12 years, other parties could not in 75 yrs: Kejriwal

Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday encouraged the morale of the party cadres with its achievements across the nation and said AAP has accomplished in 12 years what other parties haven't been able to do in 75 years.

While speaking at the National Council meeting the AAP National Convenor said, "In the history of any party, 12 years is a very brief period. People spend their lives to become an MLA once in their lifetime. And yet in 12 years, our party has received unprecedented success, and because of one reason, that is, the AAP has done what other parties couldn't do in the 75 years."

Boosting the morale of the party cadres with its achievements in Delhi, Punjab and elsewhere in the country, the AAP National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister urged the party leaders and workers to gird up to fight the forthcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Haryana to prove their mettle.

The National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Delhi's CM, Arvind Kejriwal, chaired the party's National Executive and the 12th National Council meeting on Sunday.

Party officials from across the country participated in both meetings virtually. Punjab's CM Bhagwant Mann and AAP's National General Secretary Organization Sandeep Pathak were also present.

Addressing the National Council meeting, Arvind Kejriwal wished Happy New Year in advance to all party officials. Arvind Kejriwal further informed the AAP officials about the national council and executive meetings of the AAP in physical mode in Amritsar in view of the Lok Sabha elections of 2024.

During the National Council meeting the AAP National Convenor also said, " People were distressed by the other existing parties. Their lives were becoming miserable with each passing day and that's why the people gave a chance to the AAP first in Delhi and then in Punjab. We started addressing the issues of education, health, electricity, inflation, and employment opportunities which other parties never did. The people got this alternative and started liking the politics of work immensely."

The AAP National Convenor mentioned, "It's been 10 years for the discourse around Delhi's work. Now, we're going to discuss Punjab's developmental works carried out under CM Sardar Bhagwant Mann. During the last 75 years, both parties governed Punjab one by one. Due to their reign during these 75 years, youth, businesspersons, farmers, and people were distressed."

"These parties emptied the government treasury by looting. Seeing the progress of Delhi, almost two years ago people of Punjab blessed us with the opportunity. The scale of work done in these two years exhibits how rapidly the AAP can carry out development in a state where it has full discretionary powers or full statehood. The amount of work we did in 9 years of our governance in Delhi, we surpassed it in Punjab in many areas during these 2 years of governance there," he added.

Speaking of the achievement of the Punjab Government, the AAP National Convenor stated that there are many areas in the country where there is erratic power supply. Earlier there used to be long power cuts of 7-8 hours in Punjab, just as it was in Delhi before the AAP government.

"We promised the people of 24-hour power supply. Promising a 24x7 electricity supply is one thing, but its implementation is another because there are so many things which are involved. We thought it would take 4-5 years to fulfil this promise, but within 2 years entire Punjab receives 24x7 electricity. The farmers are getting electricity as much as they want, earlier they used to long for 24x7 electricity. To our pleasant surprise, 90% of the people of Punjab are now receiving free electricity," he said.

Arvind Kejriwal said that interestingly, Punjab government-owned PSPCL (Punjab State Power Corporation Limited), used to be in deficit before the AAP government came to power.

"Once assuming power in Punjab, we started providing free electricity. Now, this electricity company is in profit. Because the only reason is that we have clear intentions, we diligently, we know how to work, and we're educated people," he said.

Arvind Kejriwal continued, "When any government is formed within any state, the first thing they do is sell off state-owned enterprises (PSUs) such as airlines, airports GAIL, BHEL, railways etc. It's public knowledge that the process of selling off involves huge corruption. A government enterprise worth Rs10,000 crore tends to be sold at Rs 1,000 crore."

"In the history of India, it probably happened for the first time, the Punjab Government purchased the operational private thermal power plant worth Rs4,000 crore at Rs1080 crore. This shows our honesty. It's quite contradictory to what we generally see when a government has purchased a private company. We have saved the government treasury in this deal, and now the government will provide electricity at a cheaper rate than before," he said.

Explaining the hurdles faced by the Delhi government and the freedom enjoyed in the full-fledged state of Punjab, Arvind Kejriwal said, "In Delhi due to obstructions created by the LG and Central Government, we set up 550 Mohalla Clinics but in Punjab 662 Aam Aadmi Clinics (Mohalla Clinics) are operational now and by 26th January 2024, the number will reach 750 in just 2 years. All the big 40 government hospitals of Punjab are being revamped and being made better than the private hospitals. The medical treatment, which is not available in the Aam Aadmi Clinics, will be given in these big hospitals for free."

The AAP National Convenor shared, "As far as education is concerned, in all 20,000 government schools of Punjab there is some kind of work underway. Toilets are being fixed where required, arrangements for drinking water are being made in some schools, and teachers are being sent for training. The principals are being sent for training overseas, and the buildings are being repaired. In just 2 years, the schools' results have started improving. Recently, I inaugurated a model government school (School of Eminence) in Amritsar. As many as 117 more such 'Schools of Eminence' are being established, which outshine any private school."

Arvind Kejriwal said that before the elections, whenever they visited Punjab, non-permanent employees were always found protesting. The government wasn't confirming their positions.

"Our government has made all temporary employees permanent. Now everyone is working and happy. Punjab is offering plenty of government jobs to the youth. More than 40,000 government jobs have been provided so far. Additionally, nearly Rs 50,000 crore has been invested in Punjab. This investment will create opportunities for around 300,000 jobs. After Jamshedpur, the second-largest plant of Tata Steel is being set up in Ludhiana. Remarkable work is being done in the irrigation sector in Punjab. In the last 2 years, several new canals have been built within Punjab. Seeing this, I am amazed. I hope that within 1-1.5 years, water from these canals will reach every field in Punjab," he said.

The AAP National Convenor mentioned, "After Delhi, plans have started to take the elderly on pilgrimages in Punjab. We started the 'Mukhya Mantri Teerth Yatra Yojana' first in Delhi. In Delhi, we used to take pilgrimages on buses and trains. Meanwhile, CM Bhagwant Mann has booked flights for pilgrims. Now even the poorest will travel by air to visit Sri Patna Sahib, Varanasi, and Sri Nanded Sahib in Punjab. Doorstep delivery of services has started in Punjab."

"The government has issued a 1076 helpline number, the same as Delhi. The People of Punjab can benefit from government services by calling this helpline number from home, without needing to go to any government office. Following this, doorstep delivery of the ration scheme will also start. People won't need to visit ration shops; instead, packed quality wheat and rice will be delivered to their homes. AAP's government has been in power in Punjab for just 2 years, and in 2 years, anything is possible if we get full statehood."

Adding further, Arvind Kejriwal said, "Within the last 10 years, we have made a significant impact in national politics. For the first time, these people have been compelled to talk about education in elections. Now all parties have started talking about schools and hospitals. We have changed the words of these political party leaders. Now these people also promise 'Modi's Guarantee' and 'Congress's Guarantee,' whereas 'Kejriwal's Guarantee' was our phrase. When people heard Kejriwal's Guarantee, they trusted it. That's why they think that if they use the word 'Guarantee,' people will trust them, but they need to see who truly delivers on their promise and whom the people trust."

"These people have stolen our 'Guarantee' word and copied our entire manifesto. Now all parties talk about providing free electricity and copy all our guarantees. They make promises, but they don't fulfil them. Both parties have given assurances to the public, but none of them has fulfilled their promises. Meanwhile, we are fulfilling all our guarantees," the AAP National Convenor further added.

"We showcased it in Delhi first and now we're doing the same in Punjab. For fulfilling these guarantees, one's intentions must be clear. Their intentions are not good. They can copy our guarantees, but from where will they get the intention to implement them? These people start earning money from day one. However, the AAP intends to do more work. They neither have the intention nor the desire to work," AAP chief stated.

The AAP's National Convenor stated that we must build and strengthen our organization across the country. Elections cannot be won without a strong organization in states. Everyone must work hard in their respective states to build the party's organization.

"The AAP is a part of the INDIA alliance in the Lok Sabha elections. We must contest well on the seats we get in seat sharing, and our entire effort will be to win all those seats. Volunteers of the party from states where the AAP isn't contesting Lok Sabha elections will come and help in the places where elections are being contested. After the Lok Sabha elections, the Haryana Assembly election is the most significant for us. The AAP intends to form the government in Haryana's Assembly elections, and we will put all our efforts into it. There's a possibility of elections in Haryana in October-November," he said.

He said, "There are nearly 1350 political parties in our country. The AAP has come third among these 1350 political parties in the last 10 years. Apart from this, people know about 5-10 more political parties. We created our party. If we are not successful like those 1350 political parties and do nothing good, then none of our leaders will go to jail, and today everyone will be happy in their homes. We have chosen paths for the welfare of the people; hence we will have to go to jail. If you give good education to children, you will have to go to jail; if you provide free treatment to the poor, you will have to go to jail. Therefore, all of us need to decide whether we want to go to jail or not. If you are prepared to go to jail, then continue on the path of providing good education to children and free treatment to the poor."

AAP's National Convenor shared that these two major parties have ruled this country for 75 years; these people will not relinquish power so easily. I think we are facing a struggle, but there's no need for us to be saddened.

"Our 5 leaders who are in jail today are our heroes. We are very proud of all of them. I am continuously in touch with lawyers. It's a very good thing that even while in jail, all our leaders' spirits are still very high. On the day Manish Sisodia's bail was cancelled, he sent a message saying, 'It's okay, I'll stay in jail for as many days as needed. This entire case is fabricated, and my struggle will continue," the AAP leader said.