New Delhi, Jan 15 (PTI) The AAP called BJP MP Gautam Gambhir a "hypocrite" and asked him to give up free facilities if he was against the subsidies being provided by the Kejriwal-led government to the poor.

Hitting back, the cricketer-turned politician said he never said that poor should not get free services.

Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh accused several leaders of the BJP of time and again conveying anti-development and regressive stance, including opposition to the basic services such as electricity and water being free.

Reacting to Gambhir's comments, Singh called him a "hypocrite" and challenged him to voluntarily give up all the free facilities he receives as an MP, before opposing the subsidies provided to the citizens of Delhi.

He said that the inflation rate in the country has been consistently rising due to the unfavourable policies of the central government. 

"Instead of focussing on resolving inflation, they have been criticising the AAP government for providing relief to the people of Delhi from this inflation," he said. 

Singh said the AAP government is "unburdening" the load of expenditure of the common people by providing them free electricity up to 200 units, free bus rides to women, free health services and education, free water and other essential services in these times of high inflation. 

"Gautam Gambhir and his party need to look at it from the perspective of the average working class, after understanding their predicament," he said. 

Singh asserted that the AAP government will continue free services for the next five years.

Gambhir responded in a series of tweets.

"I have NEVER said that POOR should not get free services. Only that people who CAN afford should be charged a nominal amount!!

"FYI - I have not taken a single govt benefit in 8 months unlike your hypocrite CM who had been advertising himself at the taxpayers' expense for 5 years," he said in a tweet.

"Those who cannot afford should get the best services free of cost! No doubt about that! But what would you do call a person who swore to remain an 'AAM AADMl' but is now enjoying all perquisites - bungalows, cars and more. I guess such hypocrite is called a Jhootliwal!!," Gambhir said.

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