East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir

NEW DELHI: With assembly polls less than four weeks away, the debate about giving free electricity , water and other amenities is heating up. East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir said people will stop valuing services if they get it for free. He said the governments must charge a nominal fee to ensure that people use them judiciously.

To counter the AAP government’s schemes of free electricity and water to frugal consumers and free ride to women in public transport, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari promised “five times” the benefits being given by the ruling dispensation if elected to power.

“If we say that BJP will give five times of what AAP government is giving, I think it is wrong. The AAP government made huge promises of building 500 schools, new hospitals and introducing 5,000 buses, but failed to deliver. We should make only those promises that we can fulfil. Otherwise, it will be a betrayal of people. They will feel cheated and used,” Gambhir said.

Accusing the AAP government of “playing” with people’s emotions and betraying them for five years, Gambhir said BJP shouldn’t make the same mistake.

The former international cricketer said, “We need to make people capable, not helpless. The AAP government offered free rides to women just three months before election because they are a huge vote bank. If Kejriwal was really concerned, he should have made buses and metro free for students who are short on funds.”

The East Delhi MP also accused AAP of politicising the issue of Ghazipur landfill garbage slide and sought cooperation between the corporation and Delhi government to clean the area. He added that he has been at the landfill at least six times, but Kejriwal hasn’t visited the area even once.

“It is our collective responsibility to find a solution to the problem. Instead of indulging in blame game, we need to join hands and work towards removing this huge mound of garbage,” Gambhir said.

Gambhir said BJP’s top priority would be to provide clean air, potable water and safety and security to women. “Wherever I go in my constituency, people talk about contaminated water and polluted air. We should frame policies keeping in mind the poor who cannot afford air purifiers or RO machines,” he added.

Just ahead of his maiden Lok Sabha polls, Gambhir got dragged into a controversy in which he was accused of distributing derogatory pamphlets against Atishi, his rival from AAP. The East Delhi MP has now decided to make this an issue in his public meetings wherein he would be targeting Arvind Kejriwal by asking people if they want a chief minister who doesn’t even respect a woman candidate from his party.

Talking to TOI, Gambhir said he was badly hurt and wanted to give up politics after AAP’s allegations. “In desperation to win just one seat, he (Kejriwal) stooped so low. He talks about women’s security, but doesn’t even respect a woman candidate of his own party,” added the cricketer-turned-politician.

Gambhir said if AAP was convinced that he distributed the pamphlets, it should have been proven by now. “If the allegation is proved, I will resign as MP. I have a family with two small daughters and would never do such a thing in life,” he added.

