Hardcore honesty, humanity at core of AAP: Kejriwal

New Delhi: Hardcore patriotism, diehard honesty and humanity are the three pillars of Aam Aadmi Party's ideology and our budget for 2022-23 reflects it, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday while hitting out at the Centre for allegedly stopping development works.

Replying to a discussion on the budget in the Delhi Assembly, Kejriwal also said implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation has increased unemployment in the last few years. Alleging that the Congress and the BJP "robbed" the country in the last 75 years, the AAP's national convenor said these parties have a long list of scams. Kejriwal said his government has prepared the "Rozgar budget" to deal with the issue of unemployment. He said it was for the first time after independence when a "Rozgar budget" was presented by any government.

"The budget presented in the Assembly is not an ordinary document, it is historical. A 'Rozgar budget' has been presented for the first time in independent India. "The budget has been prepared to bring happiness to all. We have brought the 'Rozgar budget' because of our ideology. Hardcore patriotism, diehard honesty and humanity are three pillars of our (AAP's) ideology," Kejriwal said. He said implementation of GST and demonetisation coupled with the Covid pandemic has worsened the job scenario in the country. "In the last few years, many incidents have happened due to which unemployment has increased (in the country). Such incidents include introduction of GST, demonetisation and coronavirus pandemic and because of all this, people are very troubled.

"Keeping all this in view, the 'Rozgar budget' has been prepared by our government which promises to provide 20 lakh new jobs," Kejriwal told reporters on the Delhi Assembly premises. Kejriwal said in the budget, the government has promised 20 lakh jobs in the next five years which many political parties did not dare to promise even before the elections. "It's our commitment in the Assembly. None had dared to give 20 lakh jobs even before elections. Our budget has a detailed plan of providing these jobs," Kejriwal said in the House. He said he lived in the slums to understand the pain and sufferings of people living in such settlements. He said he wanted to better the lives of the poor and the common man. The Delhi chief minister said he was happy that God has given him the opportunity to do something for them.

"We are extremely happy to make the best quality hospitals and clinics for the poor and make healthcare free. I became CM but could not implement doorstep delivery of ration here. Although I could not do it in Delhi, it has been implemented in Punjab now," Kejriwal said. He hit out at the Centre, saying they did everything to stop the AAP government from working for the public. "They first stopped our mohalla clinic file for two months but we got that cleared somehow. Later they hindered our CCTV installation project. I along with Gopal Rai (and other ministers) had to sit on dharna at the LG office to get this done. They strived to stop every work," Kejriwal said.