Sisodia attacks Modi, questions performance of BJP states

Slamming the "Gujarat model" of development, Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia today hit out BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, saying he should ensure that businessmen and common people are not seen as "thieves" in BJP ruled states.

 

"Narendra Modi should ensure that businessmen and common people are not seen as thieves in the BJP ruled states. He should also ensure that the BJP governments and officers change the way they function."In BJP ruled states, private businessmen are seen as thieves. We do not see a different picture in these states from rest of the country," Sisodia told reporters on sidelines of a CII function here today.

 

Expressing confidence of forming government once again in Delhi, Sisodia said all the people-friendly initiatives would be re-launched by the AAP government.Sisodia said the AAP government could not function properly with Congress and BJP joining hands to block all government initiatives.

 

"There is no doubt had we been in the government, we would have taken many other initiatives. But all those initiatives need to be passed through Vidhan sabha."But the Congress and the BJP had started saying that they were 40 people and would decide things in the Assembly.They were not in favour of these initiatives. So it is alright. We will once again go to people and come back with full majority," said Sisodia.If the present Central government tries to reverse all the good initiatives of the former AAP government, citizens of country will not spare them in the election, he added. 

 

To a query on what steps AAP can take to safeguard actions taken by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) against Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Sisodia said his party would continue to fight in this regard.
 

Sisodia also questioned the CBI decision to not conduct inquiry against policemen who were seen taking bribes in a recent sting operation."It is very interesting when ACB was working under Arvind Kejriwal's government, one sting operation showing some cops seeking bribes was shown, and even before ACB could register an FIR, Delhi police and Home Ministry had ordered a CBI inquiry into the matter. And now when Kejriwal is not there in government, CBI is saying it would not conduct inquiry against those cops," said Sisodia.

 

Addressing the industrialists at the CII event -- 'Celebrating Delhi: New Aspiration', Sisodia stressed on the need of "honest politics" to remove bottlenecks for overall progress of the country."Everything is possible. There is a need of honest politics in governance. There is need of vision and will to remove all bottlenecks," said Sisodia."Delhi influences the entire country. Anything good or bad that happens here has an effect on the entire country.Delhi does not lack in anything, be it resources or talent.They are aplenty in the city. what is lacking is their proper use," he added.Giving examples of "political" delay in taking administrative decision, Sisodia said an order pertaining to cleaning of drains was taken in 2007 but till date they are not yet purchased.

 

Sisodia said that no government office has any information or data about city's entire drainage system. "How can we think about city's development when we do not have this information," he said."Traders and industrialists told me they are required to take 25 types of licences and clearance from 150 official tables. And they are need to pay bribes. No one sought favour from us", he added.

 

Talking about his experience in governance, Sisodia said he learnt that a system has been made that a minister will have to be "dictatorial" in nature to get work done "not only outside but inside the government".He further said the government needs to take technological based decisions like putting details of projects on websites with real time information where file is pending.

 

"This will bring in transparency and force government officials to clear files on time," Sisodia said, adding he wanted to install CCTV cameras at schools to monitor teacher's attendance and mid-day meal among others.
 

Sisodia blamed lack of coordination between various government departments for proper development of the city."I visited industrial areas and asked about there problems. I was told DDA gave plots but there was no discussion was held with other departments like Urban Development, Public Works Department among others for developing the area. No one knows what to do. There is no vision. There is need to prepare vision map and synchronize the government's functioning for development." Sisodia said AAP government had taken many such initiatives to remove the clutter in administrative functioning which were appreciated by government officials. "The day we resigned, I received many messages from senior government officials. One of them said these 49 days in office were best days in his 18 years of career. We are not saying we did good job, but gave them an opportunity to work", he said.