New Delhi: While condemning the Central government's move to impose GST on daily commodities, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asked for its rollback. He pointed out that in times of inflation, his government is focused on providing relief to the residents through its free education-healthcare, electricity-water and free bus travel for women, GST on daily essentials like rice, milk, and pulses affects every family. Through the Delhi government's schemes, every family is getting a relief of Rs 10,000-15,000 every month, he said.
"On one hand, the whole country is struggling with back-breaking inflation and on the other hand, the Central government has imposed GST on daily commodities and made them more expensive. I demand the Central government to withdraw the GST imposed on food items. In the time of such inflation, Delhi is the only state in the country where citizens are getting some relief from inflation," he said.
The Delhi government has made arrangements for free yoga lessons as well. "I want to tell the Central government that the move to hike GST on basic commodities is ill-thought and arbitrary. It should be taken back at the earliest," he said.
"We demand the Central government to revoke this hike. Today, Delhi is the only state in the country which is working tirelessly to give some relief to the citizens from inflation and people themselves agree to this," the Delhi CM added.
Kejriwal also responded to the issue of clearance for his Singapore visit being stalled by the Centre and said that he has been invited by the Government of Singapore to present the Delhi Model at the World Cities Summit.
"I am an elected Chief Minister, I am not some petty criminal. I fail to understand why the Centre is blocking my Singapore visit. Prominent leaders from all over the world will learn about the Delhi Model at the summit, this will increase the reputation of India at the international arena. When a common citizen is free to go out of the country, then why can't an elected chief minister go out of the country?," he said.
The CM mooted for the cooperation of all governments and parties in the country in matters where glory and pride of the country is involved.
The CM also cast his vote in the Elections to the Office of President of India, 2022 at the Delhi Legislative Assembly and said that he is optimistic that the country will get a strong and prudent President.