Congress and BJP leaders termed it as a publicity stunt.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced free rides for women in all DTC buses, cluster buses and Delhi Metro trains in order to provide a safe travel experience.
The decision came days after ruling the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) suffered defeat and lost all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi in the recently concluded general elections.
Congress and BJP leaders termed it as a publicity stunt. The BJP's Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari alleged that the AAP government's proposal to make metro and bus travel free for women is a "desperate bid to buy votes".
Attacking the Kejriwal government over an insufficient number of buses in the city, he said, "Around one crore women in the city will need 20,000 buses, but we have just 3,500-3,800. Where will they sit?"
The Delhi Congress dubbed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's announcement on Monday to provide free travel to women in public transport buses and Metro trains as a "publicity stunt" made in view of the coming Assembly elections.
"Kejriwal often makes announcements which he either does not fulfil or which do not come under his jurisdiction. The Assembly elections in Delhi are due in the next few months and he should stop publicity stunt by making such announcements," Delhi Congress spokesperson Jitender Kochar said.
Twitterati also took the opportunity and had fun by sharing memes on the micro-blogging site.
When you buy tickets to board #DelhiMetro #FreeMetroForWomen #FreeRidesForHer pic.twitter.com/mU5b9gLsK0
— Arun Chauhan (@arun31610) June 3, 2019
Meanwhile complete educated youth (including capable and independent women) and economists reject the proposal of free rides offered by AAP.@ArvindKejriwal be like : "They don't get to choose"#promiseslikekejriwal #FreeMetroForWomen pic.twitter.com/ScJg7B0dIT
— Nitish Gupta (@NitishG99237241) June 3, 2019
What's next ? Free salary without working !? 𤣠#FreeMetroForWomen pic.twitter.com/HGtoI82pUf
— Dr.Anjali (@Anjaly0007) June 4, 2019
Freeloader AapTards (male) after free rides in metro and bus for women#FreeMetroForWomen pic.twitter.com/utQT54lQQd
— रà¤Âत रावत (@jat_ra) June 3, 2019
Dear delhi guys,#FreeMetroForWomen pic.twitter.com/yO1au05bw3
— Gyani Insaan (@gyani_insaan) June 3, 2019
All set for the #FreeRideForWomen #FreeMetroForWomen pic.twitter.com/D7DnqhaTJ4
— Durgesh Purohit ð®ð³ (@gujudhokla) June 4, 2019
Experts in the field of public transport expressed mixed reactions on the Kejriwal government's proposal to make the commute for women in public transport buses and Metro trains free, saying there was no direct link between safety and free rides.
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Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from Agencies