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Congress Councillors a worried lot

By Sandeep Joshi

Fear demolitions may seal their fate in the civic body polls to be held next year

NEW DELHI: With less than a year left for the civic body elections in the Capital, Congress leaders in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi are a worried lot because they fear that the current phase of demolitions and sealing of properties across the city would cost them dear in the polls.

Congress councillors feel that the lackadaisical attitude of the Congress governments at the Centre and in Delhi is making things more difficult for them. The MCD House might have sent proposals to the Delhi Government seeking relief for the people of the Capital, but the latter has not shown its keenness to get it approved in the Assembly and forward it to the Centre for necessary action.

Similarly, the Centre has also not given any indication to do anything urgently to stop demolitions or regularise old unauthorised constructions. On the contrary, Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy has denied there was any move to bring in an ordinance to give relief to people. MCD leaders also fail to understand the logic behind the formation of the Khanna Committee by the Centre to look into the issue even as sealing and demolitions continue across the city.

"By the time the committee submit its report, the damage would have already been done. Banquet halls have started closing down, while those owning shops in residential areas are in a state of shock. Anger and desperation can easily be gauged in the public mood. The Congress will first suffer in the municipal polls and later in the State elections. If we fail, the Delhi MLAs will also not succeed," remarked a senior MCD councillor.

However, Leader of the MCD House Jitender Kochar is hopeful that this time the Delhi Government would certainly come to their rescue. "On Monday I am bringing resolutions in the House pertaining to three crucial issues -- demolition of unauthorised constructions, commercialisation of residential areas and illegal operation of hawkers -- to seek relief for residents. All councillors want that the Delhi Government to adopt them so that Centre can act upon it in the current session of Parliament," he added.

Stating that Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has assured him of all help, Mr. Kochar said a high-level Delhi Congress team led by its chief Ram Babu Sharma has already met Ms. Dikshit and informed her about the resolutions so that she could do the spadework in advance to ensure their approval in the current Delhi Assembly session itself. "We have also spoken to the Union Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken for future action," he added.

However, Leader of Opposition in MCD House Subhash Arya sees no relief coming for the people of Delhi. Accusing the Congress of befooling residents by merely bringing resolutions, he pointed out that the Master Plan 2021 that has solutions to the Capital's several civic ills has been pending with the Congress-ruled Centre for the past nine months. If the Congress is really serious to provide relief to people, why is it not implementing it?" he argued.

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