As the battle for Delhi intensifies ahead of the February 5 elections, Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal has launched a series of attacks on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing his government of failing to deliver on crucial promises, particularly in providing housing for the poor.
Kejriwal’s ‘Anti-Poor’ Mentality?
Maliwal took to X on February 4 to criticize the Delhi government for not allotting 50,000+ luxurious flats built for slum dwellers under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). She alleged that Kejriwal wanted the scheme to be publicized under his name as the “Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana.” Due to his desire for personal branding, she claimed, the flats were never distributed, leading to their deterioration and wastage of public funds.
दिल्ली में 50,000+ शानदार फ्लैट झुग्गी वालों के लिए बनकर तैयार हुए। केंद्र सरकार-दिल्ली सरकार की भागीदारी से JNNURM स्कीम में गरीब लोगों को फ्लैट मिलने थे।
Advertisement · Scroll to continueकेजरीवाल जी चाहते थे इस स्कीम का प्रचार उनके नाम से हो और योजना को “मुख्यमंत्री आवास योजना” नाम देकर फ्लैट बाँटे जाएँ।… pic.twitter.com/IalcL0OwW8
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) February 4, 2025
She wrote, “50,000+ luxurious flats were built for slum dwellers in Delhi. Poor people were to get flats under the JNNURM scheme with the partnership of the Central Government and Delhi Government. Kejriwal ji wanted this scheme to be publicized in his name and the flats to be distributed by naming the scheme as “Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana.”Due to his hunger for publicity, the Delhi government never allotted these flats to the poor and today they have become ruins. ”
“Thousands of crores of rupees of the government were wasted. Slum dwellers did not get the houses they deserved. Today, slum dwellers are living a hellish life. Life is passing amidst the problems of no roads, drains, sewers, and dirty water. If this is not Kejriwal’s anti-poor mentality, then what is it?”
Maliwal Detained During Protest Against Yamuna Pollution
On February 3, Maliwal staged a protest outside Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on Monday, highlighting the dire state of the Yamuna River. She, along with a group of women from Purvanchal, carried water from the polluted river to Kejriwal’s doorstep, demanding accountability for the failure to clean it.
केजरीवाल जी को आज यमुना के पानी में डुबकी लगवा दी है… pic.twitter.com/TZEsgzqJaJ
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) February 3, 2025
“The Yamuna is on a ventilator while Kejriwal lives in luxury,” she declared. “Black, filthy water flows through the river while he roams around in fancy cars and resides in a palace. If he is not afraid, he should take a dip in the river and drink its water.”
Delhi Police soon intervened, detaining Maliwal and her supporters.
Maliwal detained while dumping garbage in front of Kejriwal’s Residence
Just days before this protest, on January 30, Maliwal staged another demonstration against the Delhi government’s handling of sanitation. She visited Vikaspuri, where she claimed that streets were choked with garbage, posing severe health risks to residents.
Accompanied by a group of supporters, she collected garbage in three mini-trucks and dumped it outside Kejriwal’s residence at 5, Ferozeshah Road. Holding placards that read, “Muskuraiye, AAP Delhi Mein Hain,” she used a shovel to throw waste outside the former Delhi CM’s house before being confronted and detained by police.
#WATCH | Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal dumps garbage outside AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s residence in protest over cleanliness pic.twitter.com/QsMOarlh6K
— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2025
Following her release, Maliwal told reporters, “For the past ten years, Arvind Kejriwal has ensured that Delhi becomes a giant garbage dump. Roads are broken, drains are overflowing, and waste is piling up everywhere. Women and children are forced to live in unhygienic conditions, and yet the government does nothing.”
She further stated on X, “The filth and stink that Delhiites face daily will be faced by Kejriwal ji today. The public is coming, Kejriwal ji, don’t be afraid.”
An FIR was registered against Maliwal under Section 188 of the IPC for violating prohibited orders.