Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday unveiled his party's manifesto for the Delhi assembly elections. While unveiling the AAP manifesto, Kejriwal raised seven demands from the Centre.
These demands related to education, health, tax rebate, and pensions, putting middle class at the centre. The AAP's seven demands for the Centre include removing GST on essential commodities.
Other demands raised by the party are increase in education budget from 2 per cent to 10 per cent and regulate the fees of private schools; introduce subsidies for higher education to make it accessible for middle-class families; increase health budget to 10 per cent and remove tax on health insurance; raise the income tax exemption limit from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh; introduce a pension plan for senior citizens; and provide a 50 per cent concession for senior citizens in railways.
Hailing India's middle class as the country's real superpower, he asked the Centre to devote the upcoming Union Budget to them. Furthermore, Kejriwal accused other parties of treating the middle as "just an ATM for the government."
“The middle class in India is being crushed under the burden of taxes. They are victims of tax terrorism, paying huge taxes but receiving little in return. This group is not on the agenda of any political party."
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released the second part of its manifesto for the Delhi polls. If elected to power, the BJP will provide financial assistance worth ₹15,000 to students preparing for the UPSC and state civil services exams.
The party also promised to offer reimbursement of two-time travel and application fees. The BJP also said that students from the Scheduled Castes pursuing technical courses in ITIs and polytechnical skill centres would get a monthly stipend of ₹1,000.
After the saffron party released the second part of its manifesto, Kejriwal accused BJP of contesting polls only to stop AAP's schemes for the people of Delhi. He also claimed that the BJP would shut down Mohalla Clinics in Delhi and stop free education being provided in government schools in the national capital.