The Hindu : New Delhi News : Sheila fooling citizens with lollipops, charges Goel

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Thursday, Sep 25, 2008
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Sheila fooling citizens with lollipops, charges Goel

Staff Reporter

“Provisional certificates for illegal colonies an election stunt"

Photo: R. V. Moorthy

Inside Delhi: BJP leader Vijay Goel seen with the tableau that makes fun of the Delhi Government’s move on illegal colonies.

NEW DELHI: Questioning why the Delhi Government had not provided basic amenities in the Capital’s unauthorised colonies in the past two years, BJP general secretary Vijay Goel on Wednesday accused Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit of not being serious about the issue during her nine-year rule so far and now doling out “lollipops” to the people by way of lofty announcements.

Mr. Goel, who also unveiled a tableau depicting Ms. Dikshit with “lollipops” at his Bengali Market office, said the announcement that she would distribute “provisional certificates” to these unauthorised colonies on October 4 was only an “election stunt” to woo the over 40 lakh people living in these colonies ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections later this year.

Stating that the Supreme Court had in 2006 directed that these colonies be provided basic amenities before they are regularised, the BJP leader demanded to know why basic amenities had not been provided to them in the past two years.

“Ms. Dikshit had nine years to regularise the unauthorised colonies, if she had the power, the intention, the competence, and the legal authority to do so,” he said.

Mr. Goel also mentioned that on September 16 the Supreme Court had told the Government in clear terms that it would have to seek prior approval of the Court before issuing provisional certificates.

Therefore, he charged, the Chief Minister was simply trying to mislead the people by offering provisional certificates which have no legal sanctity.

As for the tableau, Mr. Goel said it would go round the city creating awareness among the public about various issues on which the Congress Government had failed the people.

He said the tableau seeks to call the Sheila Government’s bluff on issues like regularising unauthorised colonies, solving excessive billing and providing electricity 24x7, providing multi-storey flats to jhuggi-dwellers and housing under the Rajiv Gandhi Ratan Awas Yojna scheme, water crisis, transport, accidents and traffic jams, containing inflation by offering subsidies, health, education, and sealing and demolition.

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