Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit speaks about unfinished tasks, women safety in the capital, and opinion polls with The New Indian Express Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla during Teekhi Baat on IBN7. Excerpts:
Do you agree with the kind of language being used ahead of elections?
We have not spoken about any person, we have just spoken about politics, if you call us corrupt, then we think this is the right time to reply, talk of CWG but people who were accused of CWG went to jail and came out, but no case have been filed against us. It is our misfortune that our politics is going through such times. If we don’t reply, the people would, if we would not have worked, the people would not have voted for us three times, I have belief on work done and I know that in the past 15 years Delhi has changed and it is before all.
You are speaking of 15 years. But opinion polls suggest you are on the backfoot.
I do not believe opinion polls. I meet people, see them and do politics. Earlier, there weren’t so many opinion polls. Now everybody is getting an opinion poll done. How correct are these would be decided on December 8. Kejriwal is in the fray for the first time and what he would do in future nobody knows.
Why is it believed that women are not secure in Delhi?
The Nirbhaya incident happened in Delhi, following which I met the Delhi chief justice and fast track courts were constituted, 181 helpline for women was started, and police is being modernised but this is not a task that one can do in two days. It will take time. People have a feeling of insecurity and this is a cause of worry which we have to erase.
Do you feel you should retire from Delhi state level politics now?
I have not got bored of Delhi, everyday, every moment is a new challenge. And to see the landscape of Delhi changing is very satisfying.
Will you become Delhi chief minister if Congress party comes to power?
No, there is no guarantee.