The Hindu : New Delhi News : Jagmohan challenges Maken

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Jagmohan challenges Maken

By Lalit K. Jha

NEW DELHI, APRIL 13. Reciting a line from a popular English poem, "Grow old with me, the best is yet to be", the Union Tourism and Culture Minister, Jagmohan, today asserted that the best in him was yet to come and he was still raring to go. Pitted against the young Delhi Assembly Speaker, Ajay Maken, for election from the prestigious New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, Mr. Jagmohan said: "I am physically fit 100 per cent and mentally young."

Referring to Mr. Maken's reported statement at an election meeting a few days ago that the contest for the New Delhi seat was between "40 and 80", Mr. Jagmohan said: "This only reflects the immaturity of his (Mr. Maken's) mind. The creative and productive ideas that I floated during my tenure as the Union Tourism and Culture Minister are a testimony to my mental fitness." He also clarified that he was 77 and not 80, as stated by Mr. Maken.

As for physical fitness, Mr. Jagmohan challenged Mr. Maken to undertake a trip to the Vaishno Devi shrine. "Let Mr. Maken walk with me up to Vaishno Devi and return. I am sure he would be tired and I would be as fresh as a morning flower. I have never taken sick leave. This would prove who is physically fit," he said.

Mr. Jagmohan alleged that by terming him old, Mr. Maken was degrading senior Congress leaders like Pranab Mukherjee, Manmohan Singh, Motilal Vora, Arjun Singh and Natwar Singh.

Seeking his fourth consecutive win from the prestigious constituency which has traditionally remained with the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mr. Jagmohan has written a number of books, innumerable papers and delivered lectures. "I have contributions to show at all levels, national, city and local," he said, pointing out that he had spent as many as Rs. 16 crores in more than 600 developmental schemes in his constituency. "I have a commitment to cleanliness in public life and always upheld high principles," he claimed.

Mr. Jagmohan charged that Mr. Maken and the Congress-ruled Delhi Government were misleading people on various issues including the CNG. "The Delhi Government is twisting facts. The credit for CNG in Delhi goes to the Supreme Court and no one else," he said.

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