Keriwal's wife slams Delhi govt over delay in giving Rs 2,500 honorarium to women, BJP hits back

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal's wife, Sunita Kejriwal, on Friday slammed the BJP-led Delhi government for delaying the promised Rs 2,500 monthly honorarium to women. The BJP hit back, asserting that the amount would be disbursed soon. At a Hariyali Teej celebration hosted by Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Women’s Wing at Nizamuddin on Friday, Sunita Kejriwal inaugurated the event alongside Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj and Women’s Wing President Sarika Chaudhary by lighting the ceremonial lamp.  Addressing the event, she extended festive greetings and slammed the BJP government for withholding the promised Rs 2,500 to women and now imposing conditions on free bus travel.  Highlighting the sense of belonging within the party, she emphasised, "We are fortunate that the AAP is like one big family. May this love and harmony always remain within our family, and may we continue working together for society. During the Delhi elections, every sister put in tremendous effort. We are all connected today because of a shared passion to serve the people." She said the BJP government in Delhi has deeply wronged the women of the city. “Despite making a clear promise, the BJP has failed to provide the Rs 2,500 monthly assistance to Delhi’s women. That money, too, has simply vanished. The BJP government has demolished many jhuggis of the poor, leaving several families homeless. Now, the government has also imposed conditions on the free bus service," Sunita Kejriwal charged. 

Launching a scathing attack on Sunita Kejriwal, Delhi BJP spokesperson and MLA Shikha Roy stated that it was surprising to see AAP convenor sent his wife, as the chief guest at the party’s Teej celebration.  This act, Roy said, confirmed that the AAP is a family-centric party and that his wife is being positioned as his political successor. Roy added that if Kejriwal had wished, he could have chosen senior women leaders such as former chief minister Atishi, former Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla, or former Mayor Dr. Shelly Oberoi to be the chief guest. Instead, by selecting his wife, he disrespected the idea of independent women empowerment. The BJP MLA said that it was unfortunate that, like her husband, Sunita Kejriwal chose to deliver her first political speech by "spreading lies and misinformation". She asserted that Sunita Kejriwal’s claim about conditions being imposed on free bus travel for women is entirely "false".  "Every state provides such facilities to its own residents, and all women residing in Delhi continue to receive free bus service — and will continue to do so," she said. 

Roy also stated that the Delhi committee is formulating rules, and the women’s honorarium scheme will be implemented soon. She said that before questioning the BJP government’s five-month tenure, Sunita Kejriwal should clarify when her party’s government in Punjab will begin providing the promised Rs 1,000 monthly honorarium to women. Sunita Kejriwal should explain why, even after three and a half years, women in Punjab have still not received this honorarium, Roy said.