New Delhi: In an indirect swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed that an atmosphere is being created against free government welfare services by terming them freebies, rather than planning to strengthen them in the 75th year of independence. "There are some people who call the provision of free education, free treatment by government facilities as 'rewadi' or 'freebies'. An atmosphere is being created in the country against provisions of free education at government schools and free treatment at government hospitals," said Kejriwal during an online briefing.
"We are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the country's independence and we should be planning on strengthening such facilities but we are creating an atmosphere against them" he alleged.
Kejriwal said those who call it Revdi culture and free culture and those who waive the loans of industrialists are real "traitors".
"These people waived off the loans of Rs 10 lakh crore of their friends. Such people should be billed as traitors and investigation carried out against them," he added.
Last month, PM Modi cautioned people against what he called a "rewadi culture" of offering freebies for votes and said this was "very dangerous" for the country's development.
The Prime Minister also said efforts are being made to bring in the culture of collecting votes by distributing ‘free rewadi’ (sweets) in our country. “This Rewari culture is very dangerous for the development of the country. Those with Rewari culture will never build new expressways, new airports or defense corridors for you. Together we have to defeat this thinking, remove Revdi culture from the politics of the country," said the PM.
(With PTI inputs)