10-31-2006, 07:14 AM
<!--emo&:blink:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='blink.gif' /><!--endemo--> Ugly scenes at CLP meet
Nidhi Sharma
[ 31 Oct, 2006 0248hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
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NEW DELHI: It was a no-holds-barred fight complete with abuses and threats, which stopped just short of fisticuffs. This was not a street fight between rowdies but the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting called to bring about a consensus over a government resolution on sealings and expediting the implementation of Master Plan 2021.
The meeting, however, turned into a nasty fight as chief minister Sheila Dikshitâs loyalists had a war of words with the anti-CM camp. The blame game began as soon as the MLAs gathered in the committee room at Delhi Vidhan Sabha.
Dikshit started the discussion by spelling out what Delhi government had done so far to save the traders. Ghonda MLA Bheesham Sharma, a vocal dissident, openly attacked Dikshit and blamed her for the civic mess and confusion amongst traders. He reportedly said that Congress is almost finished in Delhi because of Dikshit. At this, Dikshit loyalists, including Rajesh Lilothia, Ashok Ahuja and Ramakant Goswami, tried to defend the chief minister.
The loyalists tried to defend the CM and asked Bheesham to sit down. This angered Delhi Pradesh Congress chief Ram Babu Sharma, who was sharing the dais with Dikshit. According to sources present at the meeting, Sharma asked Bheesham to continue and dared people to stop him.
Dikshit on her part tried to pacify Ram Babu Sharma, but was snubbed rudely. This further aggravated the situation and Goswami and Bheesham Sharma started abusing each other. The latter reportedly threatened Goswami and dared him to settle scores outside the confines of a room.
MLA Subhash Chopra tried to pacify both the groups and appealed to Dikshit and Ram Babu Sharma to not let differences dilute the main issue. It was only then that the debate on government resolution started.
Dissidents wanted the resolution to be introduced only after their amendments. MLA Vijay Lochav demanded that the conduct of judges, who have been passing directives on sealings and demolitions, should be discussed in the House. According to sources close to Dikshit, the chief minister declined and said that this would not help at all.
Bheesham Sharma openly criticised Dikshit and said that the CM does not take the party along in the deliberations being done to save the traders. Several concerned MLAs pointed out that if nothing is done before Wednesday, the bandh could turn violent. Subhash Chopra blamed the labour minister for keeping quiet. He said that the government should have announced some employment guarantee for those rendered unemployed by sealing and demolition operations.
Sources said that some MLAs demanded that the chief minister should go to court and "save the city". Giving former BJP chief minister Sahib Singh Vermaâs example, the MLAs said that Dikshit could also do this. However, the chief minister refused to be drawn into the discussion.
The official version given after the meeting, however, painted a very rosy picture. The media brief was that CLP unanimously passed a resolution strongly condemning the attempt of BJP to politicise the sensitive issue of sealing and demolition.
Nidhi Sharma
[ 31 Oct, 2006 0248hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
RSS Feeds| SMS NEWS to 8888 for latest updates
NEW DELHI: It was a no-holds-barred fight complete with abuses and threats, which stopped just short of fisticuffs. This was not a street fight between rowdies but the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting called to bring about a consensus over a government resolution on sealings and expediting the implementation of Master Plan 2021.
The meeting, however, turned into a nasty fight as chief minister Sheila Dikshitâs loyalists had a war of words with the anti-CM camp. The blame game began as soon as the MLAs gathered in the committee room at Delhi Vidhan Sabha.
Dikshit started the discussion by spelling out what Delhi government had done so far to save the traders. Ghonda MLA Bheesham Sharma, a vocal dissident, openly attacked Dikshit and blamed her for the civic mess and confusion amongst traders. He reportedly said that Congress is almost finished in Delhi because of Dikshit. At this, Dikshit loyalists, including Rajesh Lilothia, Ashok Ahuja and Ramakant Goswami, tried to defend the chief minister.
The loyalists tried to defend the CM and asked Bheesham to sit down. This angered Delhi Pradesh Congress chief Ram Babu Sharma, who was sharing the dais with Dikshit. According to sources present at the meeting, Sharma asked Bheesham to continue and dared people to stop him.
Dikshit on her part tried to pacify Ram Babu Sharma, but was snubbed rudely. This further aggravated the situation and Goswami and Bheesham Sharma started abusing each other. The latter reportedly threatened Goswami and dared him to settle scores outside the confines of a room.
MLA Subhash Chopra tried to pacify both the groups and appealed to Dikshit and Ram Babu Sharma to not let differences dilute the main issue. It was only then that the debate on government resolution started.
Dissidents wanted the resolution to be introduced only after their amendments. MLA Vijay Lochav demanded that the conduct of judges, who have been passing directives on sealings and demolitions, should be discussed in the House. According to sources close to Dikshit, the chief minister declined and said that this would not help at all.
Bheesham Sharma openly criticised Dikshit and said that the CM does not take the party along in the deliberations being done to save the traders. Several concerned MLAs pointed out that if nothing is done before Wednesday, the bandh could turn violent. Subhash Chopra blamed the labour minister for keeping quiet. He said that the government should have announced some employment guarantee for those rendered unemployed by sealing and demolition operations.
Sources said that some MLAs demanded that the chief minister should go to court and "save the city". Giving former BJP chief minister Sahib Singh Vermaâs example, the MLAs said that Dikshit could also do this. However, the chief minister refused to be drawn into the discussion.
The official version given after the meeting, however, painted a very rosy picture. The media brief was that CLP unanimously passed a resolution strongly condemning the attempt of BJP to politicise the sensitive issue of sealing and demolition.