Delhi government targets Centre for rejecting scheme

NEW DELHI: The AAP government here on Wednesday said the Centre “rejected” its doorstep ration delivery scheme on “funny excuses”, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asking how the country will progress amid so much dispute and politics.

Addressing a press briefing, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said a letter from the Centre on Tuesday informed that the Delhi government’s proposal of the scheme has been rejected.

The deputy chief minister blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for it.

Later in a series of tweets, Kejriwal charged the BJP-led Centre of indulging in disputes with the states. “A letter from the Centre has come. It is very painful. The doorstep ration delivery scheme was rejected on grounds such as what will happen if ration delivery vans break down or get stuck in traffic, how will rations reach beneficiaries living on third floors of a building (India of 21st century has reached the moon and here you are stuck on third floor), and how will rations will be delivered to beneficiaries who live in narrow lanes,” he said in a tweet in Hindi. Sisodia too raised the same points, blaming Modi for rejecting of the scheme.

In another tweet, Kejriwal said having disputes with everyone was not right.

“Fighting with everyone all the time is not right - Twitter, Lakshadweep, Mamta didi, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Delhi government, farmers, traders, and even the Chief Secretary of West Bengal,” he said. “How will the country progress amid so much dispute and politics? Do not fight over doorstep ration delivery scheme. It is in the interest of the nation,” the Delhi chief minister added.