BJP focused on hurling abuses at AAP, not work, says Atishi; glad CAG report is being discussed

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Atishi on Monday accused the ruling BJP of hurling abuses at Arvind Kejriwal and her in the House and asked if it intended to spend its five-year term attacking AAP instead of working for the people.

With the ruling party upping the ante on the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) findings against the previous AAP government, Atishi said she was glad that the BJP was at least discussing CAG reports after showing no faith in them in the states ruled by it.

“I am happy that the BJP is finally talking about the CAG report. In the last 15 to 20 years, I have never seen them show such faith in the CAG’s findings. When the CAG report in Uttarakhand highlighted irregularities in the forest department’s spending on iPhones, the BJP did not discuss it.

"Similarly, when the CAG report on the Dwarka Expressway revealed that a road approved at Rs 19 crore per km was built at Rs 250 crore per km, the BJP did not debate it either. But now, at least because of us, they are discussing it,” Atishi said.

Recalling how a BJP MLA had referred to her as “Shurpanakha" (a derogatory reference), she said that while the people of Delhi elected their representatives to work for them, BJP leaders were instead focused on insulting and abusing the Aam Aadmi Party, Arvind Kejriwal and herself.

“Will they spend the next five years just abusing us?” she asked.

After walking out of the Assembly while Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was speaking, Atishi told reporters, “The Assembly has been in session for four days, and at least 55 leaders have presented their views. Running the Assembly costs lakhs of rupees, yet the BJP is only using it to abuse AAP.

"I want to say--abuse us as much as you want, but the people of Delhi did not elect you to hurl insults. In these four days, not a single constructive discussion has taken place.” She also accused the BJP of failing to fulfill its poll promises.

“PM Modi and the BJP had promised that the first cabinet meeting would approve the Rs 2,500 financial assistance for women. But today is March 3, and in five days, March 8 will arrive -- yet there is no sign of that Rs 2,500. As soon as we raised this issue, the BJP panicked and cut off our microphones.

"The BJP has no intention of providing financial assistance to the women of Delhi, and on March 8, there will be no money for them either,” she claimed.