Not freebies but efforts to uplift India: Kejriwal hits back at PM's 'revadi' remark

NEW DELHI: Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi Chief Minister on Saturday said his government's plans for free education, health and electricity were not "freebies" but efforts to lay the foundation for making India the world's number one country.

He said that if he could do so by God's will, he would make education and health services free for everyone in the country.

His remarks came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier warned people against what he called the "revadi culture" of offering freebies to win votes.

Without naming anyone, Kejriwal said, "I will tell you who is distributing 'Revadis' and giving freebies. This waiving of friends' loans worth thousands of crores and getting contracts worth thousands of crores from foreign tours for friends are giving freebies."

The Prime Minister used 'revadi', a popular sweet in North India that is distributed during festivals, as a metaphor for freebies offered by various parties in their bid to gain power and said people, especially the youth, should be wary of it.

"Through Farishtey scheme we saved 13,000 lives with timely free treatment to injured people in accidents. Ask their families, if Kejriwal is distributing "Revadis" or doing a virtuous thing," the Delhi chief minister told a press conference.

He said two types of politics -- one honest and the other corrupt -- are being practised in the country today.

He said that we need to lay a better foundation to make India the number one country in the world by providing better education and health services to all.

With PTI inputs