New Delhi: It was the day of the aam aadmi. Thousands, waving tricolours, banners and wielding jhadus (brooms), descended on Ramlila Grounds here on a sunny Saturday morning to witness the coronation of a street fighter, a common man who challenged Goliath and threatened to transform the system.
At 12 noon, the moment Arvind Kejriwal climbed onto the dais to take the oath as Delhi's youngest chief minister, a cheer rang through the crowd, which by now had spilled outside Ramlila Grounds. An estimate placed the crowd at over a lakh with thousands thronging the streets. The rooftops and verandas of buildings surrounding Ramlila Grounds were equally packed.
Aam Aadmi rolls over VIP culture
Taking the reins of power on the aam aadmi (common man) plank the new Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday ordered to shed the vestiges of VIP culture by dispensing with security and red beacon cars for ministers, legislators and all government officials. Instructions have reportedly been conveyed that there should be no separate lifts for any so-called VIPs as everyone should brush shoulders with the common man.
Immediately after taking charge Kejriwal, is said to have decided to provide 680 litres of water free of cost to every household from Monday. He is all set to decide a series of measures to bring down electricity tariff on Tuesday.
In the first Cabinet meeting after taking oath, Kejriwal and his team have recommended convening the Assembly session from January 1. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has 28 seats, will seek a vote of confidence on January 2. The election of Speaker and deputy speaker is slated for January 3.
In a meeting with the Indraprastha Gas Limited and transport officials, the CM has reportedly directed that a status report on how to bring down CNG prices be provided to him latest by Tuesday. He has also instructed that donations in private institutions for admissions should be banned.
Other proposed actions include removal of BRT corridors and special security for women in the city. Kejriwal reportedly told police commissioner B.S. Bassi to work out a series of measures for the women security in the city. Women and child welfare minister Rakhi Birla has also been instructed to work out on women safety measures.
Kejriwal’s close confidant, Manish Sisodia, who has taken charge of the education ministry, instr-ucted his officials to ensure there was total transparency in the fee structure in educational institutions. He told the officials that education was not a profit-making business, but a nation-building mission. He asked for status reports on the 95 schools which were awaiting sanctions for land procurement.
Kejriwal, who has kept with him the important portfolios of home, finance, vigilance, services, planning and power, sent a clear message to his officers that he would not spare the corrupt in the system.
In a closed-door meeting with the heads of 44 departments, he said that honest officers need not worry as he would extend them full support in running an efficient administration. “The-re is no need to worry as I am not going to use the hunter. There are many honest officers. But there will be no room for the corrupt,” the new CM said.
A source close to Kejriwal said that he might order a vigilance inquiry against two senior bureaucrats who had earlier worked very closely with former CM Sheila Dikshit.
Next: Sheila, Kiran Bedi give swearing-in a miss
Sheila, Kiran Bedi give swearing-in a miss
New Delhi: Former Delhi Chief Minsiter Sheila Dikshit did not attend the oath taking ceremony of AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal at Ramlila Maidan on Saturday.
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare and his associate Kiran Bedi, who were invited to the function, kept away from it as did several political leaders.
BJP leader Harsh Vardhan, who would be the Leader of the Oppo-sition in the new Asse-mbly, was the lone prominent politician to be present at the oath taking ceremony. Kejriwal even praised him as an honest person. Shoiab Iqbal, JD(U) MLA, was also present.
Kejriwal: Every aam aadmi has sworn in
For some, the swearing-in of Arvind Kejriwal as Delhi CM was a historic moments and for many others it was a “silent revolution.”
“Every aam aadmi has sworn in as CM with me,” said Kejriwal amidst thunderous applause and cheering.
It was an “oath of change” as Kejriwal and his team took a Metro train to reach the ground. Though the traditional razzmatazz of a star-studded rally was missing, the atmosphere was electric.
The way Kejriwal connected with the crowd, the response he evoked, the way his presence charged the surroundings, the spell the AAP had cast, could well be alarming for both the Congress and BJP, particularly for the former political outfit.
People had come all the way from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to see a “fairy tale turning into reality”.
