Congress Government of Delhi headed by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is claiming that they are near to convert Delhi into Paris. Hence, many tall claims of development are being made. But the ground reality presents an opposite picture. Here are some facts:
20 times rise in water tariff
First truth of development in Delhi is that one third of Delhi’s population does not get potable water at all. Despite that the water tariff has gone up by 20 times. Each resident is fed up with this rise in the water bills. A part of Delhi water supply has already been privatised, which is going to prove a suicidal step. The BJP is firmly of the opinion that basic necessities should remain with the government hands only.
11 times rise in electricity tariff, over Rs 12000 crore scam in electricity privatisation
The second truth of Sheila Dikshit’s development claims is that electricity tariff has gone up by 11 times in Delhi. This rise is only because of political corruption made during the privatisation of Delhi Vidyut Board. It has been proved by CAG, CVC and even the PAC of the House. In all, over Rs 12000 crore scam was committed in privatisation of electricity.
If the CM’s daughter is not safe, how can other women be?
The third reality of Congress development is the way the young ladies are living in the national capital. They are always in a shaky position—96 per cent of women in Delhi feel unsafe and after sunset they frighten to go out of their houses. This is the position in the capital and over that Chief Minister says “meri beti bhi surakshit nahin hai” (even my daughter is not safe). If the CM cannot secure her own daughter how can she ensure security to lakhs of other women? As compare to that we can see Ahmedabad, where the population is also almost one crore, but under Narendra Modi’s regime there, any women even having jewelry on her move out of her house even after 12 at night. Nobody can dare to see towards them.
Unprecedented price rise
Another truth of Delhi’s development is the price rise. Though the price rise at national level is due to wrong economic policies of the UPA government and political corruption, at the local level the unprecedented rise in the prices of vegetables is entirely due to Sheila Dikshit. There is big game behind this price rise. The Rs 76,000 crore Commonwealth Games scam tarnished the image of India world over.
Not a single new college in 15 years
The fact about higher education is that the Congress government could not open even a single college under Delhi University since the time they came to power 15 years ago. During the five years term of BJP, we had opened six new colleges and one University, Indraprastha University. They claim that they have opened three-four new Universities, but they are for name sake, just like one institution with a few hundred students. But under the Indraprastha University now 112 colleges are affiliated. There is none of their contribution in these colleges, as they are private self-funded colleges, not a single penny of the government has been spent there.
No enrolment for old age pension since February 2012
The truth about old age pension is that majority of the people have not received pension for 8 to 10 months. Another startling fact is that after February 2012, not a single form has been accepted for Pension in Delhi.
No house to economically deprived people
It is another field where the government has utterly failed. During the last elections they had promised to provide houses to such people but in spite of receiving lakhs of applications not a single person has been provided with house. Equally, ten years back they had promised to provide multi-story flats to jhuggi dwellers at the place where they live at present. But not a single flat has been made for them so far.
Metro Rail
Everybody knows that this project was pending with the government for 45 years. Nobody dared to touch it. It was only the BJP government which took it up and led to a logical conclusion. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was registered under my own signature. We not only arranged funds but also acquired the land for it. I can proudly say that Metro on broad gage was only in India all over the world that we started. Its first phase was flagged off by the then Prime Minster Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee on September 25, 2002. This government has nothing to do with the first phase of Metro. It was such a good project that the successive government could not say no or avoid it.
Economic condition
The BJP had provided a sound economy to Congress government. We generated revenue at the rate of 27 per cent in spite of reducing rate of tax on 135 items. I was awarded for this unique method of tax by the Planning Commission. We also brought down the cost of revenue collection.
As told to Pramod Kumar
