Smriti Irani, Harsh Vardhan court arrest
FOR A CAUSE: Filmstar and BJP leader Smriti Irani during Satyagraha and Jail Bharo Andolan at Town Hall in Delhi on Monday protesting against sealing of commercial properties in residential areas . - PHOTO: SANDEEP SAXENA
NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party leader Smriti Irani and Delhi BJP president Harsh Vardhan courted arrest at Town Hall in Chandni Chowk on Monday in protest against the policies of the Congress-ruled Governments in Delhi and at the Centre which they said were depriving people of their livelihood, security and employment besides destroying the trading character of Delhi. Speaking at the ''Satyagraha and Jail Bharo Movement'' organised by the party, Ms. Irani -- who had fought and lost the last Lok Sabha election from Chandni Chowk -- said an atmosphere of terror was prevailing in the Capital due to the policies of the Congress party and so the BJP had decided to express its solidarity with the people through the movement. Claiming that if the Centre and the Delhi Government so desired then a solution to the problem of sealing can be found in a day, Dr. Vardhan accused the Congress of deliberately trying to finish the industries, trade and business of Delhi since ''it wants to benefit the foreign companies by doing so''. Declaring that the BJP would not allow this "conspiracy" to succeed, Dr. Vardhan said it would continue to support ordinary people in their fight for justice. So far, he said, a total of 108 BJP workers, including seven women, have been sent to jail.
Former Union Minister and BJP national secretary Vijay Goel called for dissolution of the Delhi Development Authority and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and charged that both these institutions had failed to achieve their objectives and have become dens of corruption. ''Had these institutions worked with responsibility, then such a situation would not have arisen,'' he said, adding that the Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy should also have requested the Supreme Court for one year time in the sealing case