INTERVIEW | AAP’s Pankaj Gupta focuses on better healthcare, traffic in Chandni Chowk

AAP’s Chandni Chowk candidate Pankaj Gupta tells Siddhanta Mishra that control over land is a must for development and full statehood is a must. Excerpts
Chandni Chowk  AAP candidate Pankaj Gupta
Chandni Chowk AAP candidate Pankaj Gupta

AAP’s Chandni Chowk candidate Pankaj Gupta tells Siddhanta Mishra that control over land is a must for development and full statehood is a must Excerpts:

AAP says sealing will stop if all of its seven candidates win. How will you build pressure on rivals?

The one way that we know to stop the sealing is by bringing an ordinance in Parliament by the government. That will only happen when we are able to build pressure on them after we have seven MPs from Delhi.

We have clearly said many times that we all support any government at the Centre which supports our demands. Sealing is an issue in my constituency. Businesses have been shut leading to scores of people have losing their jobs. Youngsters need jobs. BJP since the past five years has all the seven MPs in Delhi and a government in the Centre, but still did not do anything because it did not have the intention to do so.

BJP accuses AAP govt for not implementing central government schemes like Ayushman Bharat for political reasons. Your response.

The Delhi government’s policies in healthcare are such that whether a person earns Rs 1 crore or Rs 1, he or she has access to free healthcare. We do not need that scheme (Ayushman Bharat). We also deliberated upon the complications that a person faces due to many technicalities of the scheme. The Ayushman Bharat talks about insurance for the people with certain income. There are many complications in it. The people still have not completely learnt to buy ration from ration shops, leave alone the Ayushman Bharat Yojana.

Why does AAP thinks that statehood is the solution to all the problems of Delhi? 

Delhi administration is divided between three different levels. People of Delhi are already satisfied with the work that we have done in the areas which are under our jurisdiction. Voters say that the Kejriwal government should be given another term without a doubt.

All the issues pertaining to land, law and order and services are controlled by the central government. These will only be resolved when the administrative power over these comes under the Delhi government. That is why we are trying to convince the people that statehood is the solution because when the seven MPs will be in Parliament, they will build pressure and fulfill the rightful demand of Delhiites.
 
What is the big issue on which you are seeking votes?

I have been meeting people in my constituency for almost a year, and I have come across many issues in these meetings. There is a strong demand from citizens to ease traffic in the area. Children face long hours getting to and from school. Decongestion of major roads around Jama Masjid, Chawri Bazar, Chandni Chowk and Walled City is a major issue.

Healthcare is another focus area. There is a need of for more land to set up 125 new Mohalla Clinics, which is our target. In Chandni Chowk, many pieces of vacant land have been either encroached upon or are used as garbage dumping grounds. These plots have turned into a health hazard. We need them to be managed properly. We have planned out these solutions amongst the people for the issues of the constituency. 

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