PM and Congress president: Always on same page!

VIEWPOINT

AMITABH SHUKLA

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh staked his Government for the first time in July 2008 when the Left withdrew support on the nuclear deal with the United States. Three years down the line, no one for sure knows how many nuclear power plants are coming, whether they will be set-up at all given the protests everywhere and what happened to the lofty arguments put forward by the spokespersons of the government and the Congress party in favour of nuclear energy.

Now fast forward the time by a little over four years. In 2012, the Trinamool Congress, obviously a valued ally of the UPA, withdrew support on the issue of Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail, hike in the prices of diesel and putting a cap on the number of subsidised LPG cylinders. The Prime Minister and his Government may not be required to seek a vote of confidence, like it did in 2008, even after the withdrawal of support as the numbers still favour the UPA with the continued support of Samajwadi Party and the BSP.

But what is worrying is the way UPA behaved, like a salesman, first to hawk the nuclear deal and then to sell FDI and diesel price hike to the people. In the last three years, not a single Mega Watt has been added to the nuclear power capability. Now after the political positioning of the TMC and the hardening stand of the UPA, people are questioning whether the so called renewed thrust on liberalisation — what PM Manmohan Singh has promised — would be actually followed in letter and spirit. People don’t believe it will. Once bitten, twice shy. The economy has gone from bad to worse despite an economist PM and no liberalisation was followed ever since 2004 and it is indeed difficult to accept that government would do in the rest 19 months of its tenure what it couldn’t do in almost 8 and a half years.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde would like to believe that people have a short memory. Mr Shinde you may be right when you say that people do not remember who scored how many runs in the cricket match played three weeks ago or the script writer of a movie released a month ago. But politics is not a quiz show like ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’. Do not underestimate the people and question their memory. They do not have so short memories that they would forget the acts of omission and commission of the Government, its follies, shortcomings and attempts to take them for granted.

The managers of the government and spokespersons recently put forward the theory that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi are on the same page on economic reforms. The question which should be asked is whether they were ever on a different page on any of the issues which the Government handled in the last over eight years of UPA rule in its two avatars. There was no difference at all between the organisation and the Government and the myth that there were differences was propagated simply to send conflicting signals to the people. You can’t be in the Government and also pretend to oppose it. That is plain and simple.

Remember the Batla House encounter. Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh talked about irregularities in the encounter and questioned the theory of the police and the Home Minister. Obviously, he could have taken on the Government only with the backing of the top bosses of the party and that means Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Then Digvijay took on the government on the tackling of the naxal issue and also arrest of Muslim youths from Azamgarh. Had Digvijay done all that without the backing of the Congress leadership, he would have been out of the party long ago. But he still remains a General Secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh and enjoys the support of his top bosses. It is a different matter that all this strategy failed to translate into votes in the Assembly polls as people saw the bluff.

The diplomatic fiasco of Sharm-al- Sheikh in Egypt in July 2009 is another pointer. The mention of Balochistan in the Joint Statement of July 16 between India and Pakistan raised the political temperature in the country and forced the Opposition to stall the proceedings in Parliament. Congress acted as an Opposition and remained tight-lipped for a quite a while just to take the wind out of the Opposition attack. All was forgotten, the moment PM came back and spoke.

Obviously, the PM and Congress President were on the same page throughout. The PM never denounced the joint statement yet the party merely played along, exposing the myth being propagated that the government and the party are separate and were on a different page for a while.

Except Sonia Gandhi and Rahul, almost anyone who matters in the party, is in the Government, occupying a ministerial position. Those who hardly matter remain in the organisation. There are only three leaders worth mentioning who remain in the party and that too due to compulsions. Janardan Dwivedi wanted to become the HRD Minister in 2009. He couldn’t, so he remains a General Secretary. Digvijay Singh had taken what he calls a political sanyas for 10 years after being routed in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections in 2003. He remains another General Secretary, continuously trying to position himself as a “Left” leaning Congressman. Ahmed Patel enjoys more powers in the position he is in right now than he would have enjoyed in the government. So he remains the political secretary of the Congress President. Is there any other important figure in the organisation left out of the Government?

So the Government keeps floating test balloons at regular intervals, waits for the reaction and allows its own party to distance itself from the decision for a while till people forget it. When there is fierce Opposition to a decision like putting a cap on the number of subsidised LPG cylinders per year, the party asks states ruled by the Congress to increase the cap. When people oppose diesel price hike, Government thinks of a way out so that a rupee or two is decreased from the increased component.

So when I read a news item that on bringing in reforms, PM and Sonia are on the same page, I wondered when they were not. When I read about unanimity between the party and government on FDI, again I started thinking of even a single instance when it was not. Congress and the Government should remember that it is too old a game of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Come out with innovations in 2012. The old political trick won’t work the way it did 30 and 40 years ago. (September 24, 2012) 

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Threat perception to CM increases

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, January 9

The security of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is likely to be beefed up now. The decision has been taken following a letter of National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan of terrorist threats to key political leaders following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan.

The letter to all the Chief Ministers of the country was sent to the Delhi Chief Minister on the day following the killing of Bhutto. Narayanan said that the jehadi outfits are a major threat to the key political leaders and their security needs should be beefed up.

“The jehadi outfits are adopting much more sophisticated techniques that previously. They now engage in great deal of planning before an attack. This includes studying the habits, activities and day to day routine of their targets,” the letter of the National Security Advisor said. The vulnerability and weakness of the security system is also studied and then an attack carried out, warns the letter.

The letter, seen by HT, said the personal security of the Chief Ministers (of all states) and other key political leaders need to be instantly reviewed. “Weakness in the security system should be identified and properly plugged wherever necessary,” it said. The letter added that the leaders should be persuaded not to take “unnecessary” risks and adhere to the security drills.

Narayanan’s letter talked about the terrorists using the “new wave” tactics and said that the Prime Minister and the Home Minister have requested that in the light of the latest assessment, security needs to be tightened all round, including that of CMs and key political leaders.

Sources in the Delhi government said that a meeting is likely to be convened by the Chief Secretary early next week to make the security of Delhi CM more foolproof. At present, a pilot and an escort vehicle accompany the official vehicle of the Chief Minister and her residence and office is welll guarded. The Police Commissioner and the CS would also assess the threat assessment of other leaders, who are protected by the Delhi Police. (2008)

Games drive Delhi govt crazy..

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, December 6

The Delhi government has only the Commonwealth Games in mind now and it has reached the point of obsession. So much so that all administrative decisions and actions are aimed at the Games. Though, nothing concrete is visible at the ground, the government has appointed three officers to look after Commonwealth Games.

While Ramesh Narayanaswami, who retired as Chief Secretary last month, becomes Special Advisor of the Commonwealth Games in the rank of a Chief Secretary, Praveen Tripathi is the Principal Secretary of the Games. Another officer, Rajendra Kumar too has charge of the Games.

“All of them have overlapping jurisdiction and the posts created just for the heck of it. Moreover, there are so many agencies in Delhi that the officials cannot bring about a common point of view in the agencies concerned,” said a senior official.

The first letter of Rakesh Mehta as Chief Secretary to all the Heads of Departments of the state government too only talks about the Games. “The NCT of Delhi is hosting the Games in 2010 and each one of us has a role to play in contributing towards the success of the Games,” said Mehta’s letter. He said, “it is a matter of national pride that Delhi is hosting the Games and we have to do everything to live upto the expectations of the people of India whom this city will represent while hosting the Games.”

Officials say that the obsession of the government started as soon as the Games was awarded to Delhi. “A lot of officials have already made foreign trips at the cost of the government. The government has spent crores in sending its delegations to places like Athens, Manchester and Melbourne which hosted the Olympics or the Commonwealth Games. We do not know when the obsession would end,” said a senior official who has not been a part of these delegations.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit too talks about the Games in almost all her official meetings. Moreover, the deadline for all infrastructure project is 2010 when the Games are to be held here. “It remains to be seen who is in power in 2010 when the Games are held – the present dispensation or some other party,” said another amused official who has watched the Games driven governance for a while. (2007)

War of words on monkeys...

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, November 13

The mayhem created by the monkeys of Delhi has generated a heated war of words between two prominent politicians of Delhi, both women – Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Mayor Arati Mehra.

Unable to find ways and means to control the menace and a meeting point between Dikshit ruled Delhi government and Mehra controlled Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), they spar over the monkeys. While Congress is in power in the Delhi government, the BJP snatched power from the Congress in the MCD early this year.

The war of words began soon after Dikshit’s comment. “After the BJP came to power, the monkey problem has only increased,” Dikshit told Reporters in the morning. When Mehra was contacted soon after, she said Dikshit was behaving “irresponsibly”. “She is making a mockery of the democratic process and the people of Delhi who elected the BJP to rule the MCD,” Mehra retorted back. The Mayor said the CM should desist from such remarks and behave responsibly.

Later in the day when Reporters asked for Dikshit’s comment on the Mayor’s statement asking her to behave responsibly, the CM insisted that the monkey problem indeed started after BJP came to power in the civic body. After making the statement, she smiled at the Reporters. “We want to help out the MCD with funds and other means to control the monkeys but first they have to come to us for this,” the CM said. She washed off the hands of the government saying that monkey problem was a “civic issue” and the BJP was in power in the civic body.

The BJP politicians in MCD on the other hand insist that monkey is a wild animal and the Wildlife Department is under Delhi government. “They are equally to blame, if not more for the situation going out of control,” said a senior BJP councilor in the MCD. (2007)

Gagging the press, govt style

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, November 16

In an age where Right to Information Act has brought a new transparency in the style of governance, the Delhi government wants to set the clock in the reverse motion. It has issued a circular banning the “leakage of confidential information”.

The circular, issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) last week, said that the Cabinet proposals are publicised even before they are passed. “The confidentiality of the Cabinet proposals should be ensured,” the note to all the Heads of Departments and Principal Secretaries to the government said.

The note was issued following the directions of Chief Secretary R. Narayanaswami who was upset at the way the Cabinet notes were being published in the newspapers even before being officially passed. The GAD circular, dated November 11, 2007 which too has been marked “confidential” and is not supposed to be with any “unauthorised person” is in possession of HT. It specifically says: “It is reiterated that all Cabinet proposals should be dealt with in strict confidentiality and secrecy”.

Interestingly, most of the issues which are taken up by the Delhi Cabinet are known to the media and through them the people as they are announced in advance by the ministers or the Chief Ministers. There are very few issues which are “fresh” in the Cabinet meetings, said a senior official of the government.

Some of last week’s announcement, construction of a over 500 bed hospital in Dwarka, giving money to the MCD for the construction of railway underbridges and phasing out of the Blueline buses were published long time ago. “We fail to understand how this information could be secret and barred,” the official explained.

Another senior IAS official, who is all for debate on crucial issues before being passed by the Cabinet, said that by publishing the Cabinet proposals in advance, the media initiates a healthy debate on a public issue. “In the Cabinet, 7 ministers pass a proposal on half baked Cabinet notes which do not even have complete information,” he added.

The latest circular of the GAD has become a butt of joke in the Players’ Building, the headquarters of the Delhi government. “I am passing you a confidential document,” said a smiling official, who handed over the GAD note to HT. (2007)

Ramifications of portfolio reshuffle

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, September 8

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit could not manage to get a nod for a Cabinet reshuffle from the party high command but she succeeded in the other alternative to put a stamp on her authority in Delhi government. She managed to get the approval of the party bosses to change the departments of her ministers in view of the Assembly elections next year.

Two of the three ministers who had rebelled against her and approached party President Sonia Gandhi in the wake of the Ashok Malhotra land scam find their wings clipped in the reallocation of the departments. A.K. Walia was stripped of important departments like Urban Development and Public Works Department (PWD) but burdened with Power Department. On the other hand Haroon Yusuf had Power department taken away from him. Instead, he got Food and Civil Supplies. The third minister against Dikshit in the Cabinet, Arvinder Singh Lovely managed to retain his departments. He just lost Art and Culture, considered a minor department which has gone to Dikshit herself.

The only minister who sided with Dikshit in political turbulence following the defeat of the Congress in the MCD elections earlier this year, Raj Kumar Chauhan, has been made all powerful. He gets Urban Development and PWD apart from retaining his old departments. Only Food and Civil Supplies was taken away from him and this is not considered an important department from any standards in the Delhi government. He also retains the post of the Chairman of Rural Development Board.

The remaining two ministers – Mangat Ram Singhal and Yoganand Shastri – who remained neutral in the ongoing saga of political one upmanship in Delhi, managed to retain what they had earlier. Singhal retains Industry and Shastri Health.

This is the first time since December 2003 when the Congress came to power in Delhi for the second consecutive term that a reshuffle has been effected in the portfolios. Interestingly, Dikshit is away in Belaruswhen the official announcement of the changes was made Saturday evening. Shastri too is away in London though he has not been affected in any way.

Some of the ministers are peeved. “Merit and work was not a criteria for the changes. If this were the determining factor such a reshuffle would not have taken place. Moreover, the ministers who have little to show in their term of almost 4 years retain their positions,” said an aggrieved minister, who did not want to be quoted in the surcharged political atmosphere.

Congress leaders here say that Dikshit has managed to “gain” politically in the six month old fracas, at least for now. “J.P. Aggarwal as DPCC President is not antagonistic to her like Ram Babu Sharma and now a change in the departments of her ministers. She seems to have emerged stronger,” said a senior Congress leader.

Reshuffle defeats the rebels

Amitabh Shukla
New Delhi, September 8

The reshuffle of the portfolios in the Delhi Cabinet has come as bolt from the blue, a surprise to the ministers themselves. Privately, they allege that instead of toning the administration in the run-up to the Assembly polls next year, it will further dent the image of the government.

A.K. Walia, the newly appointed Power Minister told HT: “I will ensure that every Delhiite gets 24-hour power supply. This is one of the most important departments and my endeavour would be to solve the grievances of consumers and make the system consumer friendly”.

Walia might be putting a brave face but officials say that he seems to have been wrongly targeted. “Around 25 flyovers, foot over bridges and new roads were commissioned during his tenure as PWD minister. The entire Ring Road has practically become signal free. He had become the symbol of development in Delhi,” said the official. There are 17 ongoing projects and another 10 in the pipeline which Walia had finalised in his tenure. “The fruits of these projects would not be plucked by some other minister,” said a Walia confidante. In his last tenure as minister from 1998 to 2003 , Walia, a doctor by profession, had Health and he had ensured the completion of 12 hospitals and 24-hour medical services in these.

The only silver lining for Walia is the fact that he is the only minister who had a continuos run for almost 9 years like Dikshit. Now he has the experience of most of the departments of Delhi government.

Raj Kumar Chauhan, the new PWD and Urban Development Minister said the CM has reposed faith in him and he would try to prove it in the new departments. “We would give Delhi, all it needs in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games,” said Chauhan. He now has maximum departments in his bag.

Haroon Yusuf too insisted that through Food and Supplies Department, the poor in the city would get their ration in time and transparency would be brought in. “We would ensure streamlining of the distribution mechanism,” he said.

The ministers in their new departments would take charge from Monday onwards. Sources in Delhi Secretariat said the rooms of the ministers would not be changed and they would continue to operate from their offices.

BOX: Recent Points of conflict

Signature Bridge: Finance Minister A.K. Walia did not give his financial approval to the ambitious project despite Dikshit’s interest on the issue. The cost of the bridge to be built at Wazirabad had risen to Rs 993 crore from the sanctioned Rs 459 crore and Walia objected to it.

Drainage at IGI airport: Walia objected here also saying that the airport is in private hands and the Delhi government should not finance the project. The CM wanted the state government to finance the 140 crore project as the Union Civil Aviation Ministry too was pushing for it. Finally a compromise formula was worked out in which different agencies shared the burden.

Ashok Malhotra land scam: Three ministers – Walia, Yusuf and Lovely rushed to complain to Sonia Gandhi on the functioning of the Dikshit government and her alleged “high handedness”. They complained that the Dikshit faction was targeting them instead of tackling the issue of land scam.

KM scheme: Transport Minister wanted the Kilometre scheme to rein in the rampaging Blueline buses. However, Dikshit did not approve of the scheme. She wanted the corporatisation of the bus fleet and saw the KM scheme as a deterrent to her scheme of things.

Transport and Power: Dikshit changed several Transport Commissioners in the last 4 years severely affecting the functional autonomy of Yusuf. Moreover, the powers of the minister in Power Department was curtailed as the bureaucrats were making the decisions and reporting directly to the CM.

Education: Dikshit took pot shots at Lovely in Cabinet meetings and pulled him on occasions.

Shadow Cabinet: Dikshit had promised several MLAs ministerial berths to win their support and trust at the cost of Walia, Lovely and Yusuf. The three ministers felt threatened.

Political drama unfolds in Delhi

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, August 6

Opposition to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in the Congress is not new. But this time, it is a “do or die” situation between the group opposed to Dikshit and her camp followers. “Either Dikshit goes this time or the three ministers and DPCC president Ram Babu Sharma,” said a senior Congress leader on the unfolding political saga in the Capital.

Headcount of the 47 Congress MLAs and their loyalty test has already started in the Congress. Though leaders say that in Congress, the party president decides about leadership and not the MLAs.

With a little over a year left for the Assembly elections, the MLAs are getting jittery. They feel that with the current trend, they might not be able to save their seats in next year’s elections. “Dikshit is no longer a guarantee for electoral success as the results of MCD elections have indicated. Anti incumbency is strong and severe infighting within the Congress. Unless drastic political steps are taken, the fortunes of the party would continue to decline,” said a three-time Congress MLA.

The Dikshit camp was silent. It was only when three ministers A.K. Walia, Haroon Yusuf and A.S. Lovely went to 10 Janpath that a close aide of Dikshit told his confidantes that “they had been pulled severely”. One of the MLAs, close to Dikshit told HT, “Dikshit is the only political face in Delhi who can win elections. Ministers are dispensable, the CM is not,” he said.

Interestingly, all the big names in the Delhi Congress are aligned with the group of ministers opposed to Dikshit. These include Union Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken, DPCC President Ram Babu Sharma, Sadar MP Jagdish Tytler, amongst others. The anti-Dikshit camp claims the support of at least two dozen MLAs and three of the six Lok Sabha MPs from Delhi. The group says that it is concerned about the prospects of the party in the city and an introspection needs to be done on the failures which led to the debacle in the MCD elections.

Party insiders say that a meeting of all the key players in the political drama will be convened later this week to thrash out the issues. “The coordination committee, which is supposed to iron out the differences between the party and the government would this time sort out differences within the government,” said a DPCC office-bearer.

Meanwhile, the functioning of the government remained paralysed on Monday with the ministers busy preparing their political strategy. All of them came briefly for the Cabinet meeting but soon dispersed to chalk out their next move in the political game of one upmanship.

ashukla.mail@gmail.com

(2007)

Political battle-lines drawn

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, August 5

With battle lines drawn between the two factions of the ruling Congress, the Delhi Cabinet would meet on Monday to discuss the issue of land scam, fancy numbers and other issues. Three of the six ministers in the Cabinet have already come out in the open against Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for what they call as “failure of the CM to defend her ministers and tendency to attack them in public”.

“Cabinet means collective responsibility and the Chief Minister is defeating the very principle with selective pot shots at the ministers,” one of the dissident ministers told HT. He said this has hurt them as the CM is supposed to side with the ministers on any issue.

The CM camp, on the other hand, accused half a dozen leaders of the Congress, including three ministers, of fomenting trouble for the democratically elected government. Brahm Pal, a three time MLA and firmly in the Dikshit camp, said with a little over a year for the Assembly elections, we should concentrate on defeating the BJP rather than slighting each other within the party.

When HT asked whether he was offered one of the cars owned by Ashok Malhotra, the alleged kingpin in the land scam, Brahm Pal said in Congress cars don’t change government. “I was never offered any car nor anyone approached me. I am with Sheila Dikshit,” was all he said.

The Congress leaders, opposed to Dikshit’s style of functioning have now drafted a letter for Congress President Sonia Gandhi. AICC general secretary in-charge of Delhi, Ashok Gehlot had on Saturday asked them to give their complaint against Dikshit in writing. Sources in the party said the letter lists Dikshit’s failure, her alleged soft corner towards the distcoms, failure to investigate a BSES scam highlighted by HT recently etc. Citing “ground electoral feedback”, the letter apparently said if things do not improve, BJP might get Delhi on a platter in the 2008 elections.

In the churning within the Congress, several new alignments have taken place. The Dikshit camp now has the support of Outer Delhi MP Sajjan Kumar along with former Speaker Subhash Chopra and AICC Secretary Parvez Hashmi. This group has the support of a little over a dozen MLAs.

The group opposed to Dikshit does not have any leader but “collective leadership”. It, however, has the presence of formidable leaders. The ministers in this group include A.K. Walia, Haroon Yusuf and Arvinder Singh Lovely. Union Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken, Sadar MP Jagdish Tytler and DPCC president Ram Babu Sharma.

“We will await the response of our party president. We want things to be sorted out for the sake of the party,” said one of the leaders in the second group.

Govt would not succumb to blackmail: Yusuf

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, July 11

The ongoing Blueline crisis has landed the Delhi government in soup. It is a proverbial choice between the devil and the deep sea for the government. If it does not continue its crackdown on the killer Blueline buses, it faces the ire of the people. On the other hand, if it continues the drive, commuters would suffer as has been happening in the last two days after a majority of the Blueline buses went off the roads. In an interview, Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf, said the government would not budge under the blackmail tactics of the Bluelines. Excerpts.

Q: The present situation is heading for an impasse with commuters facing great difficulty. What is the government doing to resolve the crisis?

A: The prime concern of the government at this point is road safety. The drive is against the buses which are violating the permit conditions. We would not tolerate this at any cost. No lawlessness would be allowed on the roads and the safety of the commuters, pedestrians and other users of the road cannot be compromised.

Q: But why did the government wake up so late when it was well known that the Bluelines violate the permit conditions and are a threat to others on the road?

A: We keep a check on these buses and drives are launched. As the media attention is more this time, it is getting the focus. Some anomalies might have crept in the system over a period of time but we are determined to remove them and bring discipline on the roads.

Q: With few DTC buses on the roads and the Bluelines keeping off, what are the options for the average commuter?

A: From Thursday onwards, the DTC would ply 2800 buses on the city routes. We are withdrawing our services from the NCR and deploying them in the city. The DTC buses from Noida too would be withdrawn. UP State Transport Corporation has agreed to ply 135 buses for services between Noida and Delhi.

Q: What about the Bluelines? When will they start operating?

A: They are violating the permit conditions by staying off the roads. Action will be taken against them. We will evoke Essential Services Maintenance Act against them if the situation demanded. We are reviewing the situation on an hourly basis and a decision would be taken. The government is also talking to the operators.

Q: What are the plans to ensure that such crises do not reoccur?

A: We have short and long term plans. We intend to increase the DTC fleet to 5000 by next year. We have already issued expression of interest for getting cooperatives and companies to operate the bus based transport system. It is easier for the government to deal with bigger entities than the individual owners, which is the case at present. Training of drivers, introducing the Kilometer scheme etc. are the other measures which are being adopted.

Q: When will the crisis end? Can you give an assurance to the commuters of the city about the date when this Blueline mess would end?

A: All of us in the government are working hard to find a solution to the issues involved. At this point all I can say is that in the next 4-5 days at the most, services would become normal in the city. (2007)

Dikshit in grip of foot in mouth disease

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, May 9

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday opened a can of political worms saying that “people from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other states” are creating pressure on the resources of Delhi.

Soon after the statement, made during foundation stone laying ceremony of three flyovers on outer Ring Road, politicians from the two states, cutting across party lines assailed Dikshit for the alleged “regional” remarks. “She should resign immediately. Is she the protector or the destroyer of the people hailing from Bihar and UP who constitute a sizeable population in the city,” said Congress MLA Mahabal Mishra. Fellow Congress MLA Bheesham Sharma joined him in the tirade. “This is unfortunate,” Sharma said.

Interestingly, the Economic Survey of Delhi for the year 2005-06 which was released in November last year, pointed out that of the total migration in Delhi between 1991 and 2001, UP sent 40.05 percent of the migrants followed by Bihar with 19.09 percent. Since then, the officials involved in planning say that migrants from Bihar have outnumbered those from UP.

“Every year, thousands of people come from Bihar, UP and other states and more power, water, roads etc. are needed for them,” Dikshit said in the morning. Pointing to the Engineer-in-chief of PWD, who is from south India, Dikshit said he would not go back to his state due to excellent infrastructure in Delhi.

After the political furore, Dikshit made amends later in the day. “I apologise, if I have made any remark inadvertently,” she told Reporters. She claimed she herself was from UP. The CM alleged the statement was “politically twisted”. But soon, she sounded irritated. “Isn’t it true that five lakh people come to the city every year and there are 50 lakh vehicles in Delhi. We need more roads, flyovers, water and power for them,” she said, adding, “when facilities are so good, people do not want to go back to their state”.

Nirmal Pathak, President of Poorvanchal Gana Parishad, said the pressure on the cities is more because of the wrong economic policies of the government. “Money is being pumped in cities like Delhi whereas the villages remain as neglected as ever,” he said. Pathak said taking the name of two states of UP and Bihar is offensive. “Delhi comprises of people from all states – south India, MP, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana,” he said, asking, “tell me the name of any single state from where people have not migrated to Delhi?”

“This is a racist and communal comment,” said JNU Professor and analyst, Pushpesh Pant. People from Poorvanchal contributed to the green revolution in Punjab and form the economic base of cities like Delhi and Mumbai, he said. Pant said Dikshit herself is from Punjab and was married to a prominent family of UP. “How can she forget the contribution of the Punjabi refugees post 1947 in the development of the country. Even the present Prime Minister came from west Punjab (Pakistan),” he said.

The Delhi BJP described the statement as “objectionable, shameful and mischievous”. “Around 40 lakh people from Poorvanchal are permanently living here and they are the lifeline of Delhi. It is due to their hard labour an d talent that Delhi has turned into an important city,” he said.