Kejriwal says will waive ‘inflated’ water bills if AAP returns to power in Delhi

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sent “inflated” water bills to the people of Delhi when he was incarcerated, and urged city residents not to pay those “incorrect” bills.
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He said if the AAP returns to power in Delhi in the assembly elections scheduled to be held in 2025, he will waive all the inflated water bills.
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The Delhi BJP hit back, saying that Kejriwal was “peddling false dreams in fear of defeat.”
“Recently, I heard that when I was in jail, they [the BJP] messed things up behind my back and sent you massive water bills again. Many people received incorrect and inflated bills. Those who received incorrect water bills, you don’t need to pay them. Just let my government be formed again in February, and I will waive everyone’s water bills, and you will start getting zero bills for water, just like before,” Kejriwal said while speaking at a function in Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar to celebrate Vishwakarma Diwas Puja.
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Senior AAP leaders Satyendar Jain, MLAs Dilip Pandey, Sanjeev Jha, Ajesh Yadav, Pawan Sharma, and other party leaders were also present at the event.
The AAP chief stressed that no government in Delhi has worked as much for unauthorised colonies as the AAP government.
“We built 6,200km of roads in unauthorised colonies… In just 10 years, it’s impossible to clear all the accumulated waste of the last 75 years. We’ve built many streets, and many more are on the way. We have laid 10,000km of water pipelines and 7,500km of sewer lines in these colonies… The remaining ones will be completed in the next three years. Whatever work is left, I will get it all done,” said Kejriwal.
“The schools for our children have improved, hospitals are better, and we’ve established Mohalla Clinics. Just a few days ago, I was watching Prime Minister Modi saying that Kejriwal did not implement Ayushman Bharat. They have Ayushman Bharat implemented in Uttar Pradesh, but patients from there still come to Delhi for treatment. People from Delhi don’t go to Uttar Pradesh. If this scheme is so good, why do people from Uttar Pradesh need to come to Delhi for treatment? Delhi government hospitals like GTB, GB Pant, and LNJP serve a majority of patients from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. We welcome them and are proud that our healthcare system is good enough to treat everyone. But if Ayushman Bharat is so effective, then why do people from UP and Haryana need to come here?” said Kejriwal.
The AAP chief said that the before AAP formed government with full majority in 2015, only 60 flyovers were built in Delhi in 65 years. “But in nine years, we have built 38 flyovers all over Delhi. Previously, Delhi had only 5,000 buses. Now we have purchased 7,700 high-quality AC buses for Delhiites, and bus travel is free for all women,” Kejriwal said.
He urged people to vote AAP to power in the February 2025 assembly election.
“Now the elections are coming in Delhi. Vote for the party which has worked here. Don’t vote for the one who hasn’t done anything. I’m not saying you should vote for me; just see for yourself. The BJP and its central government is also in Delhi, and so is the AAP and the Delhi government. You can see whether the central government has done anything for Delhi… I have listed so many works I’ve done. Just list one thing the central government has done for Delhiites. Did they control inflation, or did they open any school or college for your children? If the central government has done any of this, go and vote for them. But if they haven’t, they have no right to ask for votes,” Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal said the people should evaluate candidates based on tangible work, not political rhetoric.
“I’ve listed all my achievements—let them (BJP) mention just one thing they’ve done for Delhi. The BJP has governments in 22 states across the country. Show me one state where they provide 24-hour electricity or free electricity,” Kejriwal said.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said Kejriwal was “peddling false dreams in fear of defeat” and said the AAP chief should clarify whether he went to jail for the public or for a liquor scam.
“Gripped by the despair of impending defeat, Arvind Kejriwal is now pushing new false dreams. “As Kejriwal’s government is in power today, why doesn’t he waive the bills right now?” said Sachdeva.
BJP MP from south Delhi Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said Arvind Kejriwal was misleading people on inflated water bills waiver. “The AAP currently has 59 MLAs in the assembly which is a strong majority, the chief minister is the chairman of the Delhi Jal Board which is completely under the control of the AAP government. The CM should call a meeting of the DJB and waive off the water bills. But instead of doing this, Kejriwal is doing politics on water bills and misleading the people of Delhi,” said Bidhuri.