"Dostvaad" Should Also End: AAP Takes Swipe At PM's Dynasty Talk

Not just 'parivarvaad' (dynasty) but 'dostvaad' (favouring friends) should also be ended to cleanse the country from corruption, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Monday in a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on nepotism and dynasty system during his Independence Day speech.

He said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has given a "blueprint” to take the country on the path of progress through an overhaul of school education and healthcare systems in five years, and appealed to Modi to rise above politics and implement it.

“Modi ji talks about parivarvaad (dynastic system), but dostvaad (ruined) is also causing a lot of harm to the country. Dostvaad has destroyed the country's economy,” Sisodia said at a press conference.

"All will have to come together to carry forward ‘bharatvaad' (favouring nation) to take the country on the path of development as neither 'parivaarvaad' nor ‘dostvaad' will do any good to the country," he said. In his address to the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on 76th Independence Day, the prime minister said the time has come to cleanse the country of corruption and nepotism and asked people to have 'nafrat' (hatred) for these twin evils that go beyond politics, as he set a 'Panch Pran' (five resolves) target to make India a developed nation in 25 years.

He also called upon people to extend support in the "fight against nepotism and dynasty systems”, saying these have done the “most injustice” to the country's strength.

“He (Modi) can talk about corruption. To end corruption, however, he will have to rise above 'dostvaad',” Sisodia said when asked for his view on the prime minister's speech.

The senior Aam Aadmi (AAP) leader said though the prime minister talked about ending corruption and 'parivarvaad' in his address, he did not say anything on doubling the farmers income, giving houses to all and running bullet trains about which he had talked earlier.

“It is because nothing could be done on these fronts,” he asserted.

The deputy chief minister further said the country will progress only when every child gets free and good education, and people of the country have access to affordable and good healthcare services.

“The prime minister should not call free education and free medical treatment given to the people as freebies and make fun of them as it will only hinder the progress of the country,” he said.

Sisodia said the Delhi chief minister, while addressing an event organised to mark 76th Independence Day at Chhatrasal Stadium in the national capital, gave a blueprint for the turnaround of the country's education and healthcare systems in five years.

“I appealed to the prime minister that he should come forward, rising above politics, and work together with Arvind Kejriwal to adopt and implement the blueprint for the country's progress,” he said.

The ruling AAP in Delhi has been accusing Modi of following cronyism, citing waiver of loans and tax exemptions worth crores of rupees to corporates since his remarks on 'revadi' culture last month. Modi used 'revadis', a popular north Indian sweet often distributed during festivals, as a metaphor for freebies being promised by various parties to grab power and said the people, especially the youth, should guard against it.

His remarks have started a debate on freebies in the country and a political slugfest between the BJP and the AAP.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)