Just days ahead of Delhi Legislative Assembly polls voting, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday lashed out at ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) saying that he feels "ashamed" when he travels abroad and has to admit that New Delhi has lack of basic amenities. He said AAP's Delhi government had failed to provide essential services to citizens. The foreign minister also said that Delhi was 'left behind over the past decade and appealed to voters to change the government. AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, has been ruling the Delhi government for the last 10 years.
He further said that Delhi has been "left behind" over the past decade and urged voters to consider a change in government when they cast their ballots on February 5.
During an interaction with the South Indian Community of Delhi on 'Viksit Delhi-Viksit Bharat,' Jaishankar said, "Whenever I visit foreign countries, I hide one thing from the world. I feel ashamed to go abroad and say that people living in the national capital do not get houses, do not get gas cylinders, or piped water under Jal Jeevan Mission and do not get the benefit of Ayushman Bharat."
He added, "It is unfortunate that in the last 10 years, Delhi has been left behind. The residents of Delhi are not given their rights to water, electricity, gas, cylinders, health treatment. If the government here does not give you your rights then on 5th February you also think that this government should be changed."
He also praised PM Narendra Modi's leadership and said, "Ever since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, the thinking of the world about India has changed a lot. The world sees that when the economic situation in the whole world is down, we are still maintaining six to seven per cent growth rate."
The 70 assembly seats in Delhi will go to polls on February 5, with the counting of votes scheduled for February 8.