Fact-checking Arvind Kejriwal's Punjab victory speech, claim by claim

While addressing the cadres and supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party at the party's Rouse Avenue office in New Delhi after their emphatic victory in Punjab, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made a number of lofty claims. These included building a number of schools for the poor, providing excellent healthcare facilities. 

Taking a swipe at the Centre, Kejriwal also stated that no progress had been made to improve medical education infrastructure.

An analysis of the AAP chief's celebratory speech threw up some eye-opening facts: 

Claim: Since the last 75 years, politicians have carried forward the British legacy while his party has changed the entire system during his tenure in Delhi. Quality education is being provided to the children of the poor.

Fact: In 2015, Kejriwal had promised to build about 20 new degree colleges and 500 new schools. But, the Delhi government has been able to open only one-degree college by 2020 and no new schools have been built so far. 

The city administration did add 20,000 classrooms. However, till 2020, there was a shortage of teachers in 45 per cent of schools. The government shelved the centralised nursery class admissions. 

The party had promised to open playgrounds in 3,000 schools for the public, but so far only 77 school playgrounds have been made available. 

Claim: No progress has been made in medical education in the country. AAP will build a new India wherein Indian students will not have to go to Ukraine and other nations to study medicine. 

Fact: In the last seven years, the Modi government has raised the number of seats to 88,120 seats in 596 medical colleges in 2021 from 54,348 in 387 medical colleges in 2014. The number of All India Institute of Medical Science has increased from seven in 2014 to 22 in 2022. 

Claim: There will be a New India wherein mothers and sisters will feel safe. 

Fact: Government-run DTC buses have been a big boon for women travellers. The party had promised to purchase 5,000 new buses but it has added 800 cluster buses, which are being operated by private vendors.

Claim: In New India, there will be no hate and crime.

Fact: The Kejriwal government refused permission to appoint special prosecutors in the Delhi Riots case. The Delhi riots which were set off by anti-national elements resulted in the killing of many innocents, in which senior AAP leader Tahir Hussain was implicated. The government also did not appoint special prosecutors for violence that broke out on January 26, 2021, due to the farmers' protests.  

Kejriwal's party has bagged 92 seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly. Bhagwant Mann is set to become the chief minister.

Also Read: 'They tried to bury us..' AAP takes dig at Opposition

Also Read: Punjab Election 2022: AAP takes a victory lap as it sweeps state (Photos)

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