‘Will not let BJP do gunda gardi’, says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on water bills issue

AAP national convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on 25 February assured that under his party's leadership, water bills will not be cancelled and also criticised the BJP's alleged interference in 'one-time settlement' scheme for unpaid water bills.

While addressing a press conference, Delhi CM spoke on the BJP-led centre allegedly trying to stop 'one-time settlement' scheme for unpaid water bills in the city. He said, "If the BJP was in power, they would have cancelled everybody's water connection. But your son (referring to himself) won't let this happen. If you think that your water bill is correct, then pay, but if you don't think so, then you don't have to pay your water bills. We (AAP) will not let the BJP do 'gunda-gardi'." 

He further added, "...Delhi Jal Board has passed the scheme. Now this scheme has to be passed in the cabinet. BJP asked Delhi LG to stop this scheme. Officers have been threatened, they are crying...When Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi called the officers to ask why they were not bringing the bill, the officers said that we have been threatened that if this scheme came to the cabinet, they would be suspended. Just like Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain are in jail, you will also put officers in jail by filing false cases of ED, CBI."

Earlier in the day, AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had said that the people of Delhi have chosen Kejriwal as their CM and "if the Chief Minister is coming up with some scheme for the welfare of people then who is BJP to interfere in that, why LG is interfering in that."

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Earlier on Saturday, Delhi CM asked the residents of the national capital to not pay their wrong water bills and tear them away. His statement came when the AAP chief visited the Govindpuri area of Delhi and met the residents regarding the water bill issue. He assured the people that the Delhi government is working to fix the wrong bills generated during the COVID-19 period based on fake readings.

In June 2023, Kejriwal had announced the 'One Time Settlement Scheme' for pending water bills of consumers in the national capital. With approximately 27.6 lakh consumers in Delhi, 11.7 lakh consumers have been burdened with outstanding dues amounting to a total of ₹5,737 crore, the CMO had stated.