The BJP’s much-awaited ‘Vision Document’, which replaced the traditional party manifesto, triggered yet another controversy in the charged campaign for the Delhi Assembly election.
Besides the controversy, the document ignored the much-debated demand for full statehood for Delhi while promising to ensure the safety of women. It also promised to bring power companies under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The document talked about the party’s vision to turn Delhi into a “world class city” by interconnecting various modes of public transport, cleaning and developing the Yamuna by setting up a Delhi Yamuna Development Tribunal, providing potable drinking water to all households, low-cost housing et al.
Opposition leaders, including former CM Sheila Dikshit, attacked the BJP for taking credit for achievements made during her tenure.
AAP leaders like Kumar Vishwas demanded to know how Kiran Bedi, who released the vision document along with other party leaders on Tuesday, was promising to ensure women’s safety when Delhi police continues to be under the direct control of the Union Home Ministry.
This has been a contentious issue, raised by Arvind Kejriwal in his short tenure as Chief Minister.
However, the most talked about was the big blooper in the party’s promise to migrants from the north-eastern States, who were referred to as “immigrants” in the vision document. “North Eastern immigrants to be protected,” declared the document.
The Congress was quick to point out the mistake. “People from the North East are citizens, not immigrants,” said Ajay Maken, who is leading the Congress campaign for Delhi. “The BJP must apologise”. The BJP fielded Minister of State for Home Kiran Rijiju to explain that it was a “clerical error, a spelling mistake” which, he said, will be corrected.
While this controversy raged in social media, with protests registered by North-East student communities, who have been the target of violent attacks in the Capital, opposition parties also criticised the BJP for claiming credit for lowering petrol prices.
This was, in fact, the first point listed under “achievements so far” in the vision document.
“Petrol prices reduced 11 times in seven months. Prior to the Lok Sabha election, petrol price was ₹71.41 and diesel price was ₹56.71 and now petrol is ₹58.91 and diesel ₹48.26,” said the document.
False claimOpposition parties attacked the BJP for falsely claiming credit for the reduction in petrol and diesel prices.
In fact, the Opposition has been accusing the BJP of not passing on the benefits of the reduction in international crude prices to domestic consumers by the levy of excise duty.
The average price at which Indian refiners sourced their crude in October-December quarter was $75.17 a barrel. The Indian crude oil basket was lowest on January 14 at $43.36 a barrel. On February 2, it was at $50.20 a barrel.