Since last so many days, when ever one switched on the TV,most of the channels covering Delhi news,were also covering the `Waiting Room Dharna` by the CM Delhi & three ministers of his cabinet. Footages of them lying sprawled on the sofas in the waiting lounge of the LG`s office were being beamed along with the news-reports, which were being supplemented by the interviews of the former Chief Minister Ms Shiela Dikshit, Mr Ajay Makan,the present President of Congress Committee of Delhi & many others.The `responsible` representatives of BJP did not lag behind.Some of them, occupied the waiting lounge of CM office in `Dharna Formation`.Besides, news about whether IAS Officer`s Association of Delhi were on strike or not were being discussed/debated about more vigorously by the learned Panelists being invited every evening by some of the prominent English Channels?!
The hon`ble LG whose office was under seige, to my knowledge, did not come out with any plausible statement/time bound to undo this official stalemate?! One of the MP of the CM`s party visited, as the reports said, PM`s house to seek PM`s/home minister`s kind intervention. Later four CMs who came to attend `Niti-Ayog` meeting also took up the matter with the PM,seeking his expeditious intervention.
One really failed to understand, what was happening?!
All these people who have been elected by the electorate of Delhi/installed at high positions-CM-Delhi,BJP elected members,LG et al ,IAS officers & have been given all the perks & privileges & were/are morally /constitutionally duty bound to serve the people of Delhi in a judicious & MATURE way. Were they doing it? They need to ask them selves this simple question. Couldn`t they sit together & find a solution within hours?Didn`t they have conscience?Why they were on EGO trips? What were they trying to achieve/prove? Their actions were SADDENING to say the least.
Didn`t they see on the TV channels the pathetic conditions of many Delhi- wallas who were/ are fighting for two buckets of water in this scorching weather?
Finally the Honble-Courts had to intervene. After their observation on two petitions on the matter` that ongoing strike could not be classified as strike`as one can not stage protest inside a house or office` The Delhi High Court also observed that Aam Aadmi Party[AAP] can not sit-in or dharna,inside LG`s residence & questioned as to `who authorised the dharna~
The sit-in protest was called off after NINE days & as the news-reports has indicated that the Delhi Govt`s work was now resumed- with the flurry of meetings of the CM with the ministers & the concerned IAS officials.
But the BIG questions that must be coming to everyone`s mind could be
`Why Delhiites were taken for a ride?
Was it a responsible act?
What did it achieve after all?
If at all,it happened, why it took NINE days to resolve? & has it actually been resolved?
Why all the other authorities stationed in Delhi,remained mute spectators?
What messages it has sent to the young officers/governance-system?
What about losses/inconveniences/discomforts caused due to dharna-march to PM`s house/lathi charge on march-participants,some of them ,may be mis-led innocents et al?
Can`t we be all RESPONSIBLE?
What are the various parties trying to prove?
Vijay K. Saluja
Director
Giraffe Heroes India
www.giraffe.org/global/india
Senior Fellow
Institute of Social Sciences,New Delhi
www.issin.org
Past President,IIT Delhi Alumni Association
