A Sangh swayamsevak since ninth standard, Dr Harsh Vardhan became instrumental in eradicating polio from India in 1993 and also devised a model drug policy, which was followed not only all over India but also in many foreign countries like the UK and Latin American countries. After being declared as Chief Minister candidate of BJP in Delhi now he wants to eradicate corruption and many other ills concerning Delhi. In an exclusive interview to Organiser senior corresponded Pramod Kumar he explained his vision for Delhi. Excerpts:
What is your agenda for Delhiites in these elections?
My immediate agenda is to give Delhi back to Delhiites and ensure that the corrupt and inept regime of Congress is removed. We have to replace it with a Government which is transparent, honest, sincere, people friendly, committed to the people and protects their interests selflessly. Once we are able to do it, we will follow it with the replacement of the most corrupt Government of the world headed by Dr Manmohan Singh with the Government headed by Shri Narendra Modi at the Centre.
Are you confident of getting absolute majority?
What are you talking about? We are going to have hands down victory with two-third majority.
What can you assure Delhiites at this moment?
My first promise is that we will provide them a very sincere, honest and transparent Government with a commendable curb on corruption. We will do everything to tackle corruption whether it requires Jan Lokpal, or anything else. My focus is not just on preventing corruption, we will make the system thoroughly transparent by introducing e-governance.
You want to follow Gujarat model?
We will follow whatever good things have been done in Gujarat or elsewhere in the country. Women security is also on top of our agenda. We will strengthen the civil defence system for it. We will make healthy beginning and will take it to a logical conclusion, as we did to eliminate polio.
You have successfully eradicated polio, what similar challenge will you take up this time?
Curbing corruption will be on top of my agenda. All the preventable diseases will be curbed. Being a doctor I know 90 per cent of the health is prevention. We can give the best possible universal health insurance scheme to Delhi. Solar power is also my passion area. Every house will be made a powerhouse. We will make people self-sufficient in power generation and consumption. They can also be able to sell electricity to the power grid. They can also get carbon credit. Drug policy will be reintroduced.
The drug prices are skyrocketing?
It is because of the wrong polices. Our essential drug policy programme had proved to be the best of the world. The crux of the policy was that with the same amount of budget we can have at least 35 per cent more drugs, far superior quality drugs and can also get those drugs available to the people which cure their 95 per cent routine illnesses. First to copy that scheme was the then Congress government of Punjab. WHO also propagated it all over the world as Delhi model. WHO says 45 per cent diseases can be eradicated only if people do yoga, meditation and morning walk. We will promote that also.
For some time the BJP has been claiming to reduce power tariff to 30 per cent. How will you do it?
We will do three-four things on this account. First the accounts of all the power companies will be audited by the CAG right from the year 2000. Any wrongdoings in the accounts will be checked. We will also involve more power companies in distribution so that the power tariff comes down as the mobile phone tariff has reduced. To promote solar energy we will encourage people to use their rooftops. First we will ensure it in government offices, then the housing societies and then the general public will be engaged. Instead of selling liquor, the DSIDC will be motivated to set up factories for producing solar panel. It can provide jobs to over two lakh people.
Despite right to education, right to food and anti-begging law in Delhi, thousands of child beggars are there in Delhi. Comment.
We have a detailed plan to take care of all such issues. There are some organised gangs, which are operating it. We have to tackle it at many fronts. We will make Delhi a beggars-free State.
CM Sheila Dikshit has again started talking about full statehood to Delhi and also taking control of DDA and Delhi Police. What do you say?
The BJP government headed by Shri Atal Behari Vajapyee had introduced a Bill to this effect in the Parliament but due to certain objections raised by the Congress people it was referred to a select committee headed by Pranab Mukherjee in 2004. But the report of that committee never came. Now we will ensure that under Shri Narendra Modi regime we will honestly ensure full statehood to Delhi. Smt Dikshit has been in power for 15 years and during ten years of which there has been a Congress Government at the Centre. Her failure proves she either was casual and insensitive to this demand or there are no takers to her demand at the Centre.
It is general perception that the BJP lost all three previous Assembly elections due to infighting. Will there be unity this time?
I don’t agree with it. You look at the last 15 years the BJP won all the seven Lok Sabha seats in 1999 and in 2007. We won the MCD. In 2008 we won Delhi Cant elections in a big way and now in 2012 too we won all the three MCDs again. In Assembly also we improved our tally.
How do you look at the BSP and Aam Aadmi Party?
There are so many parties in the country. One more has been added. Our traditional rival has always been the Congress. It is still the Congress. Any party may join the fray, but the people of Delhi have realised that only the BJP can ensure the defeat of Congress. Nobody is going to waste his/her vote for any such parties.
