07-02-2007, 06:11 AM
One thing that is not mentioned below is that he famously said on national TV that poor dont eat onions! which was promptly followed by some 10 laborers saying they usually have chapatti and onions as they could not afford subji and now they could not even afford onions!
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> Verma frittered away goodwill
Reporter's notebook: Sidharth Mishra
The references being made to Verma by the reporters, especially those belonging to television, could well pass for euphemism for ignorance. They did not have an iota of an idea who Verma was. The reporter would have done well to find out that the former CM had been marginalised in Delhi BJP. He was facing the charge of putting-up rebels in Outer Delhi leading to the BJP's loss on at least 20-odd MCD seats.
According to dictionary.com, obituary means a notice of the death of a person, often with a biographical sketch, as in a newspaper. Unfortunately, in India, obituary has come to acquire one more dimension. The biographical sketch of the person, which accompanies the notice of the death of the personality seldom, has critical references.
One doesn't need to go very far in seeking to illustrate the point. The obituary references to former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, who died in a most unfortunate accident, had one and all singing paeans for him. Some would say that it is not in Indian culture to berate the dead. Off course one can be critical without being discourteous. The references being made to Sahib Singh Verma by the reporters, especially those belonging to television, could well pass for euphemism for ignorance. They did not have an iota of an idea who Sahib Singh Verma was and what was his contribution (or lack of it) to the polity of Delhi.
I found this reporter from NDTV particularly hilarious. Speaking with the attitude of know-all, this 'dressed to kill' reporter', went on to stutter, "After the exit of Madan Lal Khurana, Sahib Singh Verma was tallest among the Delhi BJP leaders and his loss would be felt in the coming election year when the Delhi Assembly goes to poll."
Verma indeed had a gangling personality but the reporter would have done well to find out that the former Chief Minister has been marginalised in Delhi BJP. He was facing the charge of putting-up rebels in Outer Delhi leading to the saffron party's loss on at least 20-odd municipal seats. Khurana was expelled from the party long back and his attempt at rebellion proved a complete damp squib. The former CM's party failed to stop the BJP even on Khurana's home-turf of Moti Nagar.
Coming back to Sahib Singh Verma, I was never particularly enamoured by this man's style of politics. His ability to bully his way was often interpreted as his dynamism. Even after losing the Lok Sabha polls he insisted on having a red beacon atop his vehicle. The traffic cops booked him on several occasions but Verma proved to be recalcitrant.
As Chief Minister, he lived for headlines. The whole idea of his politics was to remain in limelight and worsen his archrival Madan Lal Khurana as the most popular politician. The benchmark of popularity in the cases of both was their ability to grab headlines. Verma rode bicycle as Chief Minister for some time for what he called austerity measure. It's another matter that audit objections followed.
On demitting office as Chief Minister, he took a DTC bus to his DDA flat in Shalimar Bagh. Again the whole act was meant only for the shutterbugs. He never lived in that flat. In fact he refused to move out of his Lutyens Delhi bungalow even after losing the Lok Sabha polls. He got the bungalow allotted to an obliging party MP and stayed put.
To my understanding, history would hold Verma responsible for fritting away the initial goodwill that the BJP had built in Delhi. His stint as Chief Minister saw Delhi hop from one crisis to another. Such was the leadership's lack of confidence in his abilities that Sushma Swaraj replaced him on the eve of the 1998 Assembly polls. But by then the damage had been done as Sheila Dikshit led Congress to a resounding victory. Since then Verma reduced himself to fringe player, speaking only for Jat community even during the Delhi University teachers' union elections.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> Verma frittered away goodwill
Reporter's notebook: Sidharth Mishra
The references being made to Verma by the reporters, especially those belonging to television, could well pass for euphemism for ignorance. They did not have an iota of an idea who Verma was. The reporter would have done well to find out that the former CM had been marginalised in Delhi BJP. He was facing the charge of putting-up rebels in Outer Delhi leading to the BJP's loss on at least 20-odd MCD seats.
According to dictionary.com, obituary means a notice of the death of a person, often with a biographical sketch, as in a newspaper. Unfortunately, in India, obituary has come to acquire one more dimension. The biographical sketch of the person, which accompanies the notice of the death of the personality seldom, has critical references.
One doesn't need to go very far in seeking to illustrate the point. The obituary references to former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, who died in a most unfortunate accident, had one and all singing paeans for him. Some would say that it is not in Indian culture to berate the dead. Off course one can be critical without being discourteous. The references being made to Sahib Singh Verma by the reporters, especially those belonging to television, could well pass for euphemism for ignorance. They did not have an iota of an idea who Sahib Singh Verma was and what was his contribution (or lack of it) to the polity of Delhi.
I found this reporter from NDTV particularly hilarious. Speaking with the attitude of know-all, this 'dressed to kill' reporter', went on to stutter, "After the exit of Madan Lal Khurana, Sahib Singh Verma was tallest among the Delhi BJP leaders and his loss would be felt in the coming election year when the Delhi Assembly goes to poll."
Verma indeed had a gangling personality but the reporter would have done well to find out that the former Chief Minister has been marginalised in Delhi BJP. He was facing the charge of putting-up rebels in Outer Delhi leading to the saffron party's loss on at least 20-odd municipal seats. Khurana was expelled from the party long back and his attempt at rebellion proved a complete damp squib. The former CM's party failed to stop the BJP even on Khurana's home-turf of Moti Nagar.
Coming back to Sahib Singh Verma, I was never particularly enamoured by this man's style of politics. His ability to bully his way was often interpreted as his dynamism. Even after losing the Lok Sabha polls he insisted on having a red beacon atop his vehicle. The traffic cops booked him on several occasions but Verma proved to be recalcitrant.
As Chief Minister, he lived for headlines. The whole idea of his politics was to remain in limelight and worsen his archrival Madan Lal Khurana as the most popular politician. The benchmark of popularity in the cases of both was their ability to grab headlines. Verma rode bicycle as Chief Minister for some time for what he called austerity measure. It's another matter that audit objections followed.
On demitting office as Chief Minister, he took a DTC bus to his DDA flat in Shalimar Bagh. Again the whole act was meant only for the shutterbugs. He never lived in that flat. In fact he refused to move out of his Lutyens Delhi bungalow even after losing the Lok Sabha polls. He got the bungalow allotted to an obliging party MP and stayed put.
To my understanding, history would hold Verma responsible for fritting away the initial goodwill that the BJP had built in Delhi. His stint as Chief Minister saw Delhi hop from one crisis to another. Such was the leadership's lack of confidence in his abilities that Sushma Swaraj replaced him on the eve of the 1998 Assembly polls. But by then the damage had been done as Sheila Dikshit led Congress to a resounding victory. Since then Verma reduced himself to fringe player, speaking only for Jat community even during the Delhi University teachers' union elections.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->