Arvind Kejriwal's letter to Sheila Dixit

Arvind's letter to Sheila Dixit

(Note: This is a translation of the original written in Hindi. This translation was done by an AAP volunteer)

25.06.2013

Smt. Sheila Dikshit ji,

I have received a letter written by your political secretary, Mr. Pawan Khera in which you have raised certain issues. This letter answers those questions. However, I am perplexed why you did not write to me directly instead of using your staff member’s name. A few months back you did the same thing. I had stated in a public meeting that you are a broker of electricity companies. You probably took offense to it. Even at that time, instead of filing a defamatory case against me in your name, you did it using Mr Khera’s name. There is a saying in English- “A leader should lead from the front”. Hiding behind someone, or firing from someone else's shoulder, demonstrates the weakness of a leader.

You have stated in your letter that Delhi politics was very clean upto now, and I have muddied it. You are feeling this way because till now, there was no one to oppose you in Delhi. There was also no opposition party in Delhi. There was match fixing between BJP and Congress. Both parties had made Delhi politics a virtual business for them. BJP and Congress are both in partnership with electricity and water companies. You kept raising the price for water and electricity and BJP would do a farcical protest on the streets, sometimes for an hour, or a day. The citizens were being robbed, exploited and crying out in pain. But things were going well for both parties. Both were happy. Now, suddenly Aam Aadmi Party has come forward and spoiled the game for both . On one side you are unhappy, you are saying that we have muddied Delhi politics. On the other side BJP is also unhappy. They too are saying that we have muddied Delhi politics. But the common citizen of Delhi is very happy. This is the first time; the common citizens of Delhi have an honest alternative.

If you really want "clean politics" then you should, immediately, take the following steps:

1. Today, in the Delhi Vidhansabha, there are 16 sitting congress MLAs, against whom serious criminal cases are going on. How can we expect these people to sit in the Vidhansabha and pass laws against rape, murder and corruption? Vidhansabha is a temple. This temple is defiled by the very presence of such people. Aam Aadmi party has announced that in the coming Vidhansabha elections, we will not field a single candidate with a criminal background. If you really want to clean up Delhi politics, you should also announce that in the coming elections, Congress too will not field any candidates with a criminal background.

2. There should be transparency in the financial donations received by political parties. Aam Aadmi party publishes the name of every donor on its website. According to news reports, Congress has received more than INR 2,000 crores in the past 5 years. But Congress is not revealing the name of its donors. It is being alleged that many companies involved in the coal scam have also donated to the Congress. If you publish this list on your website, then people will start to believe that you really want to engage in "clean politics".

3. Our country today is controlled by dynasty politics . Multiple people from the same family are given party tickets. Aam Aadmi party has announced that we will not field two candidates from the same family. I request you, if you really want "clean politics" then you should also announce that the Congress party will not give a ticket to more than one person from the same family. I am aware that if you announce this, then you will have to make a big sacrifice- either you or your son Mr. Sandeep Dikshit will have to retire from politics.

If you take the three above mentioned three steps, then people will believe that you really want to practice "clean politics".

You have mentioned in your letter that I have used inappropriate language towards you during the Auto-rickshaw campaign. I do not agree with this. You tell me yourself, what words have I used which you did not find appropriate? I do agree that I have mentioned on multiple occasions that you are a broker for electricity companies. But is that incorrect? You have raised the electricity prices in Delhi randomly. This has helped Tata and Ambani's electricity companies to reap large amounts of profits. But they are so greedy for money, that they have manipulated the books to show a loss of INR 20,000 crores. The question arises, that if they have really lost so much money, then why have they not shut down their electricity companies? I am sure you will agree Tata and Ambani have not come to Delhi to do social service, they have come to make money. Have Ambani brothers ever executed a business deal to lose money? As soon as the Delhi Airport Metro line became unprofitable, the Ambanis ran away from that business. Then, why are they still in the electricity business, if they have lost INR 20,000 Crores? There is something fishy here. Entire Delhi population is demanding an audit of these electricity companies. But you keep raising the prices without any audit. You keep saying that you are ready to conduct an audit but electricity companies are not agreeing to it. We are unable to swallow this argument. Who is the Chief Minister- you or the electricity companies? Why is our Chief Minister powerless and ineffective against these electricity companies? Why don’t you cancel their contract if they are not willing to submit to an audit? This is where people start to wonder if Sheila Dikshit ji is a broker for electricity companies. As soon as electricity companies declared a loss of INR 20,000 Crores, you went running to the Central government, asking for a financial package to bail out Mr. Anil Ambani. But when citizens of Delhi groan under the weight of increased electricity bills, you ask them not to use air conditioning, television and refrigerator. It is these kind of words and actions that have convinced people that that you are in cahoots with electricity companies.

More than half of the Delhi households do not have proper water supply. You have been Chief Minister for the past 15 years and in all these years you could not supply water to people’s homes? In spite of this, your government is spending crores of rupees on advertising and claims that you have created growth and development in Delhi. What kind of development? and for whom? when most people do not even have drinking water? If the money spent on advertisements had been spent instead on water, then water could have reached some households. You are the MLA of New Delhi constituency where the Prime Minister, President and ministers live. The biggest irony is that even in your constituency, households do not have proper access to water. There is an area named DIZ, which is only 3 kilometers away from the President's house. Even here there is a shortage of drinking water in people’s homes. The people get drinking water from the park. Every morning, there is a long line to get water from the park and citizens carry it in buckets upto the 4th floor. The same story gets repeated for almost half of Delhi. It is just like, in the old days, women used to get water from the well. Is this the development that has happened in the past 15 years of your administration?

You have alleged in your letter that in accusing your government of corruption I have insulted women. But this argument is not correct. If a woman politician does something wrong, should she not be criticized?

It is a great tragedy that even though you are a woman, you have not understand the pain of women. Today there are maximum number of rapes taking place in Delhi. Every woman of Delhi feels unsafe. In the morning when a girl leaves home to go to college, every parent's heart remains in their throat until their daughter comes back home safely. Your government has done nothing to provide safety to the women of Delhi. Whenever a girl gets raped, you always say that Delhi police is not under your control. People have elected you. Delhi citizens do not need a Chief Minister who is so helpless and unable to deliver. People need a Chief Minister who can provide them safety. It is even more tragic that police are used to brutally attack people who demand justice for rape victims. False cases are lodged against them. How can you wash your hands off the rapes happening in Delhi? Congress is in power in Delhi and Central government. Therefore, Congress is directly responsible for the rapes that are happening in Delhi and also for the brutal attacks on the people protesting against the rapes, whether it is the congress sitting in the Centre or in Delhi.

In the last 15 years, there has been no development in Delhi, only destruction. Under the pretext of development, only corruption has taken place. People have been subjected to random and unnecessary taxes because of corruption, causing the prices of everything to sky-rocket.

I invite you to a public debate in front of the citizens of Delhi. This debate can take place at Ramlila Maidan or any other large public venue. Date and time will be as per your convenience. I know that you will never accept this challenge. But I will still wait for it. If you agree for a public debate, it will lay a solid foundation for the start of "clean politics" in the country.

In future, if you need to say anything to me, please do not hesitate to write to me directly.

Sincerely,

Arvind Kejriwal