The Hindu : New Delhi News : Resentment brewing among Cong. MLA

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 18, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Resentment brewing among Cong. MLA

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, DEC. 17. Resentment seems to be building up among Congress legislators in the Capital over imposition of new taxes, increases in water tariffs, poor power situation and the new liquor policy allowing opening of vends without the consent of the local MLA. The spate of new taxes provoked a Congress MLA to remark that the only thing that remained to be taxed was "air" and the Sheila Dikshit Government might as well tax that.

In another interesting development that is likely to create ripples in the Congress Legislature Party, the rival faction MLAs have decided to take up in right earnest the issue of registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against the Mahipalpur MLA, Vijay Lochav, reportedly at the instance of the higher-ups in the Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation. The MLA, it is learnt, was protesting along with the local people against the opening of a liquor vend in his constituency without his permission and confronted the authorities on the issue. However, it is learnt that after a little bit of arguments and resistance, the DSCSC officials, at the instance of the higher ups in the Department, lodged an FIR against the ruling party MLA, something that has shaken up his other party colleagues.

"It is unfortunate that an FIR had been lodged against a Congress MLA at the instance of some senior bureaucrat when a Congress Government is in power in Delhi. It is clearly an attempt to turn the heat on those who are not friendly to the ruling establishment in the Delhi Government and bureaucrats seem to be ruling the roost in Delhi, targeting their own party legislators," a senior leader remarked.

The issue is likely to be raised in the Delhi Assembly on Monday by the Congress legislators demanding strong action against the officials concerned. "I was told about the FIR only a few days ago. I have raised the matter with the Minister concerned but nothing seems to have moved," Mr. Lochav remarked.

The echo of rising protests and resentment was also heard in the CLP meeting chaired by the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit. The Kamla Nagar MLA, Shadi Ram, protested against the recent hike in water tariffs and imposition of new taxes by the Delhi Government and said such actions would badly affect the party and the MLAs. Mr. Shadi Ram also sarcastically remarked that it would be better if the Sheila Dikshit Government imposed tax on air.

The Bawana MLA, Surinder Kumar, is learnt to have strongly protested the reported move of the Government to allow opening of new liquor vends without the consent of the MLAs and said such actions had caused strong resentment in their constituencies. He pointed out that the common joke doing rounds among the people was that when cheap liquor was being provided by the Government what was need to ask for water. He also pointed out that for some strange reason, buses had been withdrawn from popular rural routes in his area. He is understood to have been supported by the Nangloi MLA, Bijender Kumar, who also protested against the opening of liquor vends without the consent of the party MLAs.

The issue of closure of industries in various categories also came up for discussion. The party MLA, Anil Bhardwaj, who represents the Tri Nagar constituency, raised the matter. Mr. Bhardwaj pointed to the delay in filing the required affidavits before the Supreme Court and said any further delay would only damage the image of the government and the party. However, the Chief Minister pointed out that both the Delhi Government and the Union Urban Development Minister were working closely to find a solution to this problem keeping in mind the directions of the Supreme Court.

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