the Congress wants to keep a distance from the Jharkhand government's failures. The Congress has been consistently opposing Korean steel company Posco in Orissa, yet the government at the Centre is looking at investments. How do you reconcile the two attitudes?
Let me assure you that the Congress is not opposed to industry, investment or development. We have some very specific concerns as far as the Posco steel plant is concerned. First of all, mining operations, especially steel, require a lot of water. In this project, it was seen that irrigation water would be diverted for mines, affecting the second winter crop. This is just not done. Second, the company should take all environmental clearances and undertake an impact assessment. Fertile farm land and multiple crop land cannot be handed over to Posco. Third, we have not been assured by the state government that rehabilitation will be done to the satisfaction of the people. And lastly, the state government needs to carefully weigh whether captive mining and captive ports "" which are major part of the project "" will benefit the state exchequer or just the company concerned. We do not think the state government has undertaken due diligence as far as that is concerned.
Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is supposed to embark on a tour of Orissa, but the state police, which is in the middle of a massive combing operation against Naxalites, has expressed security-related apprehensions. Will the tour go ahead?
It is the state government's duty to provide security. If all political activity is halted because of security concerns, we will be playing into the hands of extremists. In fact, it is the continuance of political activity that is the best antidote to extremism of any kind.
The Congress gave a deadline of January 15 to the Madhu Koda-led Jharkhand government before considering withdrawing support. Do you now find yourself satisfied with the government?
No. The Congress had presented a charter of 19 demands on development to the Jharkhand government. Our party workers, MLAs and others have said that they are dissatisfied with the Jharkhand government. Let me point out that we have only nine out of 81 seats in the Jharkhand Assembly and the government is run by independents and allies supported by the Congress from outside. Despite making a great sacrifice by not taking any post, we have found that the government is not running to our satisfaction. Everyone in the Congress feels we should not continue with the present corrupt and inefficient government. However, we are in a coalition both in the state and the Centre. We are speaking to our partners in the state, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, and are requesting them that we should collectively distance ourselves from the failures of this government.
Coming to Delhi and urban development, was the collective resignation of the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC), headed by noted architect Charles Correa, a surprise?
Well, I don't handle the DUAC. All I can say is that all members of the DUAC are eminent people in their field and their resignation, just two months before the term of the present commission was to end, is unfortunate.
As a minister for the last two years, what would you call your achievements in the ministry?
Well, Delhi has just been through one of its most turbulent phases after Independence with the sealing drive. We are happy that the courts have accepted the latest Master Plan and in the next few years we will see the fruit of this Master Plan in the development of Delhi. The new Master Plan is a great achievement in that it provides a concrete blue print for the city. Other than that, the Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission has met with considerable success. I would like to especially point out that the state-level legislative work has been commendable. For example, the repeal of the Land Ceiling Act has happened in most states, a reduction of stamp duty, which was as high as 19-20 per cent in states like Bihar to nearly 5 per cent, is also an achievement. Rent control Acts have also been rationalised in most states and work in municipalities like computerisation, easy payment procedures etc have occurred and have made a real difference to the lives of ordinary people.
The Assembly elections in Delhi in December will probably be the first that you will miss since the Delhi Assembly was constituted. Do you miss Delhi politics? Do you want to go back?
I am not willing to go back. I am happy with the responsibilities that the party has given me. The ministry and the states that I am in charge of provide enough work for me to keep me gainfully occupied. I feel I have used my time well. While it is true that these will be the first elections to the Delhi Assembly where I will not be present, my ministry is such that I have been in touch with Delhi's problems regardless.
What do you have to say about the controversy over "one man one post" since so many ministers are engaged in state-level party politics?
As Congressmen, we are prepared to be employed by the party in any capacity that we are considered fit for. Our leader decides what responsibilities we are to be delegated and it is for her to decide these matters. Even on this, the people concerned will decide.
Do you think the delimitation notification will change the face of Delhi politics?
Delhi is a very small area and leaders in Delhi are leaders of the entire city. Even when I was an MLA, people from all over Delhi used to come to me with their problems, workers in the city are clued in to each other and the level of interaction is such that the delimitation will have little effect on actual political activity. One cannot say, for example, that I or Jagdish Tytler or Sandeep Dikshit are leaders of just our constituency.
