As Delhi is just a week away from elections, I remember a call from a friend a month back. She was expecting her first child and like every expectant mother, she ought to be happy. But rather she was worried, worried that the toxic air pollution would be hazardous for her unborn baby. She was planning to move to a “safer” place and her doctor agreed. This is what Delhi has been reduced to – a gas chamber.
Let me take you back to the 15 transformational years of Congress rule under Sheila Dikshit ji. Sheila Dikshit’s tenure was as transformational for the Capital in terms of development as her leadership was defining for its politics. Dikshit proved to be a hands-on CM for three successive terms when Delhi was used to massive power outages, killer Blueline buses, water shortages and a creaking city infrastructure.
Pawan Khera, Dikshit’s political secretary/OSD for three terms, wrote how she would instruct telephone operators at her home to relay every call to her at any hour as people fed up with power outages would ring up the CM’s house to complain.
From privatising a corrupt Delhi Vidyut Board making way for private companies to getting the entire transport fleet to move to CNG, to the rolling out of the Delhi Metro, Dikshit oversaw massive development activities during her first term. Simultaneously, Dikshit also began an initiative to promote civic participation in local governance by conceiving the Bhagidari scheme, a direct interface with her citizens through Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs). She successfully bucked anti-incumbency because she managed to serve her electorate with a hands-on approach and problem-solving skills. There was no pandering to promising sun, moon and stars or cultivation of vote banks — instead, she did what was expected of her by working hard and providing an efficient government responsive to the citizenry. And her work spoke, she transformed Delhi into a world class aspirational city without ever complaining about dual lines of authority.
In the last ten years, this centuries old city has been at the brunt of political apathy, failed promises, misplaced priorities, corruption at the cost of poor, crumbling infrastructure and surging crime rates. While AAP came to power on promises of anti-corruption policies through Jan Lokpal and the Swaraj Bill, they were embroiled in everything from liquor scam to ‘Sheeshmahal’.
Yamuna has been turned into a sewage thanks to ‘Agar maine 5 saal me Yamuna saaf nahi karvaya to mujhe vote mat dena’ diatribe. Education is in shatters, the escalation of cost of constructing school rooms shot from Rs. 7 lakh to 24 lakh. Sarin committee talks about crumbling health infrastructure and debunks tall claims about Mohalla Clinics, tons of untreated waste is dumped on what was once the ‘greenest capital’ of the country.
And the BJP at centre has done absolutely nothing for the capital city of India. Their multiple MPs looked the other way when Liquor licenses were distributed left, right and centre. The apathy of LG in even attending the expert committee meetings set up by NGT to clean Yamuna speaks volumes about their seriousness to save the lifeline of Delhi. There is no concrete action plan even by the centre to make Delhi air breathable. The slum clusters and the associated civic woes goes on to prove that their Lok Sabha results aren’t giving anything to the commoner to cheer for.
The list is endless. But Delhi deserves more. Delhi deserves support to women from back breaking inflation. Delhi deserves a plan for youth and the looming unemployment, Delhi deserves dedicated efforts, respect and recognition for hard working Poorvanchalis.
Most importantly Delhi deserves an urgent action plan for depleting air quality. Delhi deserves security, safety, empathy, hope and development. Delhi deserves better than broken promises and absent governance. Delhi needs a decisive government that works for its people not technical wizardry or powerful social media campaigns, a government that feels intimate, involved and present. What Delhi needs and deserves to be, is a city of people, representing the vibrancy and complexity of its residents. Delhi deserves Congress.
Dr. Pooja Tripathi is spokesperson of the Congress party, and a public health specialist. She has previously worked with Gates Foundation & World Bank’s Global HIV/AIDS Program and has penned a coffee table book on ‘Scratch to Success- Routine Immunization in India.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board or the organization.
