Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday launched his ambitious freebie to empower women – assuring them of ₹1,000 every month into their account. That amount, he added, might rise to ₹2,100 if the Aam Aadmi Party wins in February. However, the advance of ₹1,000 would be credited only after the elections, Kejriwal said, “poll dates will be announced in 10-15 days, so it is not possible to transfer the money now.”
Standing next to Chief Minister Atishi, Kejriwal blamed the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party for delaying the implementation of this scheme and accused them of “conspiring” against him by depriving Delhi women of this financial assistance. He acknowledged that women had been raising concerns about the sufficiency of the amount of ₹1,000, especially in these inflationary times, and announced that the registration process for ₹2,100 would start the next day.
Kejriwal said this scheme would help women to become self-dependent and serve their financial needs, responding to BJP criticism that it was an election stunt. He also dared critics to raise questions on funding, reminding people of AAP’s past promises, like free electricity, which had been implemented. The move was hailed by the senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who asserted that the Congress and BJP failed to think about these initiatives for the public.
To this, BJP’s Delhi unit chief Virendra Sachdeva asked why Kejriwal made the announcement now and pointed to his unfulfilled promises made during the Punjab elections. There are questions about who is funding this exercise, with some reports suggesting objections from Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s office over the proposal, which can lead to fresh friction between the AAP government and the central BJP administration. As the election approaches, the political landscape in Delhi continues to evolve, with promises shaping the narrative.
