Odd-even not for us: MPs

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's pet car rationing scheme ‘odd/even’ has come under fire from members of parliament cutting across party lines.

Though the Delhi government had made arrangement for special buses, which remained empty, the members drove in with the even numbered cars, although it was a day for odd numbered cars.

The issue figured in the parliament and there was a consensus that the members of parliament should be exempted from its purview as it came in the way of discharging their duties. “Taxis are not allowed inside the parliament premises, so coming to the parliament without cars is not possible,” said senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Congress member Rajiv Shukla mooted the suggestion that the members should be exempted from this rule and this immediately found favour from deputy chairman P J Kurien who wanted the central government to take up the issue with the Delhi government.

Targeting Kejriwal, Samajwadi Party's naresh Agarwal said that the scheme had been introduced to earn cheap popularity and to ‘insult’ the members of parliament.

“The day is not far off when rules will be framed to prescribe A and B will walk on the road on a particular day and C and D some other day. Only women will use the road one day and the next day only men," he said.

Some members referred to an IIT- IIT-Kanpur study, which had pointed out that pollution from cars was a mere five per cent and the Delhi government had failed to address other issues which contribute to the remaining 95 per cent of pollution.

However, Delhi's transport minister Gopal Rai asserted that instead of seeking an exemption it is time for the nation's lawmakers to make the necessary sacrifices and set example by following the law.

Though the Delhi government had made arrangement for special buses, the members drove in with the even numbered cars, although it was a day for odd numbered cars.