BJP kicks off Assembly poll campaign with water punch

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), buoyant after its thumping victory in the recently held civic elections, has attacked the Sheila Dikshit government over plans to privatise the water distribution system of the Capital with an eye on 2013 Delhi Assembly elections.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), buoyant after its thumping victory in the recently held civic elections, has attacked the Sheila Dikshit government over plans to privatise the water distribution system of the Capital with an eye on 2013 Delhi Assembly elections.

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In a meeting of resident welfare associations (RWA) the BJP organised on Saturday, the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, said the Delhi government’s plans to privatise water distribution was unconstitutional as it violated the provisions of the Constitution which provides for the Right to Life.

"On the one hand, the Supreme Court directs the Centre to distribute foodgrains rotting in Food Corporation of India godowns among the poor freely and, on the other hand, the Delhi government decides to privatise water to add to the woes of people. The move is not in the interest of people but a means to indulge in corrupt practices. It is an injustice to the people of Delhi as it aims to privatise a natural resource," Swaraj said.

"We have had the bitter experience of private power companies that have been fudging their balance sheets to make more money and the Delhi government is supporting them by increasing power tariffs. We don't want the same to happen with water supply," said Ved Prakash Rathi of the Rohini RWA.