New Year greetings: Politicians deface Delhi

Eager to wish a happy New Year to their voters, leaders across the political spectrum have literally defaced the city with posters, banners and hoardings.

At a time when people generally take a resolution to do something good in the New Year, elected representatives would start 2005 by blatantly violating the West Bengal (Prevention of) Defacement of Public Properties Act, 1976.

The Act, which was enforced in the Capital during the Asian Games in early 1980s, defines defacement as impairing or interfering with appearance or beauty, damaging, disfiguring, spoiling or injuring any property including building, hut, structures, wall, tree, fence post or pole. Jail term of six terms and a fine of Rs. 1,000 is the maximum punishment under the Act.

Senior officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi conceded that many politicians have erected hundreds of small and big hoardings over the past two days. With big photographs of themselves along with that of their leaders, the hoardings wish a “Happy and Prosperous New Year” to the people.

“These hoardings, giving an ugly look to the city’s urban space, were put up even today during broad day light. But we are unable to take any action, because of the involvement of politicians,” a senior MCD official said.

The MCD official who made a survey of these hoarding today and unsuccessfully sought permission from the bosses to remove them and initiate action against the guilty, said except for the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, almost all senior politicians of the Capital including Delhi Cabinet Ministers, Delhi Mayor, Leader of House, Members of Parliament, MLAs and Councillors had one hoarding or the other in there name.

While the New Year hoardings have been erected on major roads, it is posters, which dominate the scene inside and colony roads. Even in Lutyens’ Delhi Zone, it could be seen outside the bungalows of VVIPs, giving an ugly look to public places.

As if this was not enough, Councillors, MLAs, MPs and politicians in rural areas and Outer Delhi have painted walls with the New Year message. “Writings on walls had disappeared during T. N. Seshan’s tenure. But it has now come back because of the inaction on the part of the civic body,” the official said.

Referring to the penal provisions of the anti-defacement Act, the official said there was need to make it stricter. “It is only during election time that we remember the Act, remove posters and hoardings and file first information report against the guilty. This is only because of the pressure from the Election Commission. But now it is a free for all,” the official said.