Delhi polls: We should have CEOs for every area who should be answerable for all work, says educationist

By Mita Hegde

Elections in Delhi have never been this interesting. I have been living in this city for 20 years. I came from Mumbai after my marriage. I have seen the city change and now it is reflected in the elections here as well.

But we voters are now tired of hearing the same promises again and again. I feel voters now want big changes. We want answerability.

The people’s representatives should be answerable to the electorate. It should be like the private sector. Right now our people’s representative blames the other authority for not working. But this is not how it should be. I feel we should have CEOs for every area.

This CEO of the area should be responsible and answerable for all problems and solutions. Like I live in Mayur Vihar. We should have a CEO elected by the people.

Nobody is talking about accessibility to quality education. I feel this is the biggest issue facing Delhi. Be it admission to schools or the examination system – nobody is talking about the education system here. Then is cleanliness and the third big issue is security. I have seen the class divide grow bigger and bigger over the years. My husband and I have been stopped at least thrice on the streets by well-meaning people advising us that I shouldn’t wear a simple gold chain. A gentleman recounted how his wife’s chain was snatched in the middle of a marketplace. The problem in Delhi is that rich are becoming richer and poor are poorer. It is this that is irking the city. Once we provide quality education, it would mean more aware citizens who would keep the city clean.

But nobody is talking about these issues. Only Arvind Kejriwal has promised to improve the school system. AAP has added a balancing element to Delhi’s political scenario. It is good to have a new player. I think it was a mistake to have frittered away people’s mandate when they quit after 49 days in power. I think they have also realized this mistake and learnt from it. To accept it with humility is very good. And they have done that. But what is worrying me is if AAP comes to power again. We have a BJP government at the Centre. Would AAP government be able to function? People have so much hope from them. The kind of bitter politics that is being played out between AAP and BJP right now, I doubt BJP government would allow an AAP government to function. It is the city, the nation that gets lost between political parties. It is a very sad prospect which I hope Delhi does not have to deal with.

(Mita Hegde is an educationist and lives in Mayur Vihar)