‘Feel ashamed’: Dikshit slams protest

Kejriwal must understand Delhi is a Union Territory, the Capital of the country. He is wrong if he thinks he can have a governance model like Haryana and UP. SHEILA DIKSHIT, former Delhi chief minister

NEW DELHI: Disapproving of the continuous sit-in by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues at the lieutenant-governor’s office, senior Congress leader Sheila Dikshit said on Friday she felt ‘ashamed’ that a CM was releasing photos of his protest.

The former Delhi chief minister suggested Kejriwal should read the Constitution and then approach the prime minister to seek full statehood for Delhi.

Dikshit said the Congress had also demanded full statehood for Delhi but never politicised the issue.

“Kejriwal must understand Delhi is a Union Territory, the Capital of the country. He is wrong if he thinks he can have a governance model like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. He should first read the Constitution. If he thinks that there is a need to make amendments to the Constitution, he should approach Modiji and Parliament,” she said.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, the three-time CM said the role of Delhi’s L-G and the chief minister is defined in the Constitution.

“I am wondering why AAP leaders were protesting at L-G office since Monday. What is their intention and motive?. If people of Delhi get to know their cause, we will also be satisfied,” she said.

Comparing her governance with that of the Aam Aadmi Party, Dikshit said the BJP was ruling at the Centre when she became the Delhi chief minister in 1998 but there was no conflict between them.

Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken, who also addressed the press conference, said the AAP and the BJP were doing dharna politics as they were not serious about public issues such as water shortage.

“This (dharna) is part of a wellplanned strategy by both parties –Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and AAP. The script of this strategy had been written when the chief secretary was assaulted at the CM’s residence... AAP is doing dharna to divert attention from its failure on public issues,” Maken said.