The Congress on Tuesday staked claim to the credit it argued was its due for the existence of the iconic Signature Bridge and the Delhi Metro network which its political opponents were “squabbling” over the “ownership”. The party also pulled a surprise guest out of the proverbial hat for the residents of North-East Delhi’s Mustafabad.
The residents of Shiv Vihar Tiraha bore a two-hour delay, sprinkled with intermittent spells of drizzling, for the party’s North East Delhi candidate, three-time former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, to arrive with sitting North West Delhi MP and Dalit leader Udit Raj, who recently defected to the party, in tow for his political debut, of sorts, from the Congress’ fold.
“We are okay with the delay as long as she at least comes; this constituency is already swinging between the BJP and the Congress; if she doesn’t show up, it will definitely dent her image,” said Shankar Bhagel, a local resident. Ms. Dikshit was scheduled to arrive for the public meeting at 7 p.m. but arrived at 9 p.m.
The packed gathering, spread across an entire street, experienced a flutter as a slight drizzle set in with the party’s recently appointed District Committee chief A.R. Joshi attempting to pacify the crowd and wait for the “ Vikas ki Devi (The Goddess of Development)” who would arrive to meet them “despite her age” soon.
After her cavalcade arrived, Mr. Raj took to the stage to address the gathering of residents from the area which has a sizeable Muslim as well as Dalit population.
Condition of Dalits
“Everything that the Congress did for the Dalits, the BJP has destroyed...the very same Ram Nath Kovind ji on May 30, 2014, had asked me to put in a word for him and I did...I do not say that he was appointed President because of just that. I do not want to make a political statement,” Mr. Raj said
“...But, the reason why Baba Sahab (B.R. Ambedkar) wanted reservation for the sections of society that we represent was so that we could pay those sections, our communities back. Is that happening in this country?” he asked.
Mr. Raj then went on to claim that he had a meeting with senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the evening but “requested that it be postponed” so that he could canvass for Ms. Dikshit.
“I said please postpone it because I want to be present at Ms. Dikshit’s meeting, my first public meeting [after joining the Congress], so I can ask for votes for the only person who dedicatedly made Delhi a beautiful city,” he added.
‘Vote carefully’
Taking the dais soon after, Ms. Dikshit cautioned voters to “think” before they voted. “Please think before you vote. Choose the party which believes in bringing you together instead of dividing you...the party which believes in delivering what it promises instead of promising what it does not intend to deliver,” she said.
Blaming the BJP and AAP for the woes of the those hit by sealing at an event earlier during the day, Ms. Dikshit promised to stop the drive if her party came to power at the Centre saying she felt the “concern and anxiety” of women being a mother and a housewife herself.
The BJP and AAP, she alleged, only “shed crocodile tears” without taking prompt steps to stop the sealing and demolition drive.
