Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has stirred up a fresh controversy after he took a dig at Puvanchalis, especially people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, for coming to Delhi for free medical treatment.

Kejriwal suggested that treatment to citizens living in Delhi gets delayed at the city's hospitals due to 'outsiders' coming for cheaper treatment.

In a video shared by news agency ANI, Kejriwal was heard saying that Delhi has enough hospitals for treating people in the city, but that there was a delay in treatment at hospitals as people from surrounding states come to the national capital for free or cheap treatment.

#WATCH Delhi CM: One person from Bihar buys a ticket to Delhi for Rs 500, returns after availing free treatment worth Rs 5 lakhs. While it makes us happy as they are people of our own country, but Delhi has its own capacity. How can Delhi serve people of entire country? (29.09) pic.twitter.com/qW1hvryPnK ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2019

"One person from Bihar buys a ticket to Delhi for Rs 500, returns after availing free treatment worth Rs 5 lakhs," Kejriwal said.

"While it makes us happy as they are people of our own country, but Delhi has its own capacity. How can Delhi serve people of the entire country?" the Delhi chief minister questioned.

Indicating that Delhi will not cater to the healthcare needs of the entire nation, he added that other states should also improve their healthcare infrastructure.

Kejriwal has been slammed on social media and by several leaders of the BJP's Delhi unit over his comments. Reacting to Kejriwal's statement, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said the remarks reflects the Delhi chief minister's dislike for people who have come from other states in India to settle in Delhi.

He even told Kejriwal that he should not punish Purvanchalis coming to Delhi for treatment and added that the Delhi chief minister's statement shows he is rattled.

"You know that your ground is gone and as for your hate for Purvanchalis, that has come to the fore and very soon people of Delhi will give their answer to you," Tiwari said.

Commenting further on Kejriwal's statement, the Delhi BJP chief said, "Don't worry Mr. Kejriwal, these Purvanchalis will only teach you a lesson."

The geographic region of Purvanchal comprises the eastern end of Uttar Pradesh and the western end of Bihar. It is bounded by Bihar to the east, Chhattishgarh to the south, Bagelkhand region Madhya Pradesh to the southwest, Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh to the northwest and the Fatehpur-Prayagraj region to the west.