The Hindu : New Delhi News : Governance takes a backseat in wake of demolitions

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 27, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Governance takes a backseat in wake of demolitions

Sujay Mehdudia

Govt.-party engaged in a verbal duel and game of one-upmanship over the drive against illegal structures

NEW DELHI: With the Sheila Dikshit Government and the Delhi Congress engaged in a verbal duel and the game of one-upmanship over the issue of demolition of illegal structures across the Capital, governance has taken a backseat. There are also murmurs of protests over the Delhi Government's failure to take a "firm stand" despite commitment by the party and its leadership on the issue.

Observers are of the view that with protests now spreading to the rural areas of Delhi and the urban population already seething with anger, it is the image of the Congress party and its Government that has suffered due to "mishandling" of the issue by the political leadership and those in the Government.

The matter has now reached the party high command and it is hoped that priority would be accorded to the whole exercise. It is learnt that Delhi Congress leaders had raked up the matter with Congress president Sonia Gandhi at the Hyderabad session after which Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy was asked to look into the matter.

Mr. Reddy is expected convene a meeting of the Delhi leaders and officials shortly on what steps could be taken to find an amicable solution to the whole problem. It is learnt that the Congress leaders were agitated over the fact that despite having made a promise to the voters during the 2003 Delhi Assembly elections to regularise unauthorised colonies, extend "Lal Dora" and also regularise marginal alternations made on the premises, the Government was sidelining its own party manifesto. This could show the MCD and party in poor light in the civic polls scheduled for early 2007.

Not only party men but also legislators are agitated with the stand of the Delhi Government and that of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit over the issue of demolitions. "Our party manifesto approved by Ms. Gandhi has made many of these things very clear. Instead of assuring the people of Delhi, the Government is projecting a picture as if everything is illegal and will be demolished. Instead of taking a `stand' that the Government was working towards regularisation and was committed to implementing the party manifesto, the party and Government stands divided on the issue," a senior Minister remarked.

What has made things worse are allegations that Ms. Dikshit had taken a stand opposite to that of the party in order to corner her rivals whose names were linked with illegal constructions and violation of building bylaws. However, subsequently not only Ms. Dikshit and her relatives but also a number of Ministers and other elected representatives came under scanner with the Delhi High Court also seeking action against the "big fish".

"It is unfortunate that in such a serious situation, the Delhi Cabinet has failed to meet, discuss and take a decision on the issue. There is lack of a political will to deal with such a matter affecting lakhs of people. It is a matter of commitment to the people but there is no urgency to take up the matter of regularisation of unauthorised colonies with the Union Government. Unrest is now spreading to rural areas and it is also hurting the image of the Congress party," another leader stated.

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