PM Modi's fiery attack on Kejriwal: 'Some focus on jacuzzis, we focus on water for all'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday directly targeted former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of prioritising personal luxuries over public welfare. Speaking during the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in the Lok Sabha, the PM criticised leaders who focus on “jacuzzis and stylish showers,” contrasting it with his government’s efforts to provide basic necessities like clean drinking water to every household.

“Earlier, the headlines of newspapers were filled with scams and corruption. But in the last ten years, crores of rupees have been saved and used for the public. We didn’t spend that money building a ‘sheeshmahal,’ we used it to build the nation,” Modi said, reviving his ‘sheeshmahal’ jibe — a reference to the alleged lavish renovation of Kejriwal’s official residence during his tenure.

This fresh attack comes just a day before the Delhi Assembly elections, intensifying the BJP’s campaign against AAP. The BJP has claimed that the Public Works Department’s (PWD) inventory of the former Chief Minister’s residence at 6 Flagstaff Road in Civil Lines reveals extravagant expenditures, including luxury items like jacuzzis, full-body massagers, Bose ceiling speakers, and AI-enabled multi-door refrigerators. The residence was vacated by Kejriwal in October after his resignation, with Atishi succeeding him as Delhi’s Chief Minister.

According to BJP leader Amit Malviya, the PWD list includes 75 ceiling speakers installed in kitchens, toilets, gyms, and other areas, alongside luxury items like 55-77 inch televisions worth Rs 73 lakh and saunas costing Rs 20 lakh. “I could have built a sheeshmahal, but my dream was to ensure every Indian has a permanent house,” Modi asserted.

Shifting his focus to the Congress, PM Modi slammed the party’s decades-old ‘Garibi Hatao’ slogan, calling it a failure. He claimed that under his leadership, the BJP government lifted nearly 25 crore people out of poverty, constructed over four crore houses for the underprivileged, and built 12 crore toilets to improve sanitation, particularly for women.

Highlighting the success of the ‘Jal Jeevan Mission,’ Modi said, “After 75 years of independence, 16 crore households still lacked tap water connections. In just five years, we provided ‘Nal Se Jal’ to 12 crore households.”

PM Modi also responded to Gandhi’s comment describing the President’s address as “boring.” Modi said, “Those who entertain themselves with photo sessions in jhuggis (slums) will naturally find discussions about the poor in Parliament boring.”