Ordinance rajas

As the steel mandibles of bulldozers tear down some of the best known unauthorised constructions in town, the cry for a Central ordinance to regularise Delhi8217;s illegal buildings gets more strident. Unsurprisingly it is a demand that has united both Congress and BJP politicians since land grabbing, clearly, does not recognise ideological divides. While the Congress government in Delhi has asked the Centre to promulgate an Ulhasnagar-type ordinance, BJP8217;s Madan Lal Khurana 8212; now back to his old trouble-shooting ways in Delhi and never one to be left behind in such matters 8212; has shot off a letter to the PM making the very same demand.

These responses testify to the fact that the court-directed demolition drive conducted by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi MCD is actually hitting home. This, please note, is no thanks to the MCD, which had over the years presided over a remarkably venal and opaque system that allowed those with power and money to break every by-law in the book. If the Delhi High Court had not ordered the razing of 18,000 illegal structures across the Capital, if it had not insisted that the drive should target 8220;people who are in power and authority8221;, if it had not insisted that the rule of law will prevail over 8220;jungle law8221;, not an illegal brick would have been moved. We need to applaud the court for recognising that no city should be allowed to be shaped by the atavistic forces of plunder. Ultimately, this is about the rights of 15 million Delhiites to a decent living environment, and not about the power of 18,000 property owners to break the law.

The Congress government at the Centre has already shown disquieting signs of meltdown on the issue. Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy has just indicated that the ordinance option was being considered. And, in the last cabinet reshuffle, Ajay Maken 8212; known for his baiting of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on the demolitions issue 8212; was appointed minister of state for urban development. Upon Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi now fall the responsibility of ensuring that this wholly justified drive is not undermined and all talk of ordinance is put to an end. They talk of principles. Now they need to act by them.