Kejriwal's Nobel Prize remark sparks political row, BJP terms it 'laughable'
New Delhi: Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday stirred a political controversy after he remarked that he deserves a Nobel Prize for governance. BJP accused him of presiding over an administration tainted by scams and misgovernance.
Speaking in Chandigarh during the launch of the Punjabi edition of the book The Kejriwal Model, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief said, “Despite being stopped from working, we performed. I should get a Nobel Prize for governance and administration for doing so much despite there being a lieutenant governor and various difficulties.”
His comments drew an immediate response from Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, who dismissed the remark as “laughable.” “Kejriwal demanding a Nobel Prize for himself is laughable. He would have surely received one if there were categories for incompetence, anarchy and corruption,” he said.
Sachdeva also reiterated allegations against the former chief minister, citing issues ranging from panic button implementation on buses to alleged irregularities in classroom construction, liquor licensing, pension disbursements, and the renovation of Kejriwal's official residence, dubbed the “sheesh mahal” by critics.
Calling the BJP's reaction an attempt to divert attention, former Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “Virendra Sachdeva is in the government now. It is time to govern, not just talk. Opposition days are over. Now you have to deliver. Delhi is waiting for real work, not distractions or name-calling.”
Defending his governance, Kejriwal said AAP’s model of work was based on honesty and transparency. He argued that his government had improved public services by curbing corruption. “Previous governments said the treasury was empty. But we fixed schools and hospitals and gave free electricity because we stopped corruption,” he stated.
He also alleged that after BJP’s return to power in Delhi in September 2024 all public services had “collapsed.” He claimed that people were beginning to miss AAP’s administration.
Dismissing these claims the BJP said that Kejriwal’s tenure was marred by a series of scams and mismanagement that still linger in public memory.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
