New Delhi, July 01: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today approached President A P J Abdul Kalam to complain about "impingement" of city government's rights by the Centre and sought full statehood to end its "helplessness". Led by the Chief Minister, the delegation sought to impress upon the president the "undemocratic and unfair state of affairs wherein the rights of a popularly elected government are being impinged upon and its hands are being tied by the central government".
Because of land and police being reserved subjects with the Centre, the city government was placed in "helpless" position as far as planning for the city and security of the people were concerned, a state government press release said.
All the major and critical organisations like DDA, planning and municipalities which impact directly on the delivery of civic services, were not within the ambit of the state government, it said.
"Though the Delhi government had written to the ministry of home as well as the prime minister about devolving greater authority as a precursor to statehood, nothing had come out of the exercise even after more than a year," they said "without waiting for any amendment to the NCT Act, devolution of power could take place through executive orders by the central government".
"Ironically instead of looking into these valid demands, the Central government had given greater power and role to the Lt Governor .....thus overriding even the government's present status," the delegation said.
Bureau Report