Agencies
New Delhi, Feb 7:
Even as Mumbai's political storm refuses to die down, another anti-North India remark is raking up more controversy.
This time, Delhi's Lt Governor Tejender Khanna raised eyebrows when he said North Indians take "pride in violating the law".
Khanna said, "North Indians have no traffic sense. People in the south are disciplined on the roads and have good traffic sense. In North-West India, people take pride in breaking traffic laws. We want to instill a sense of respect, even fear for the law in the people here by proper enforcement."
"The behaviour pattern in South India is such that the people naturally stay within the limits of the law," he said.
The Lt Governor was addressing a function to launch Delhi Police's Traffic Patrol Scheme.
He added that as Lt Governor of the Capital, he has decided that efforts will be made to ensure that the citizens of Delhi treat law with respect and have a sense of fear towards overstepping the limits of law.
"Fear does not mean that there will be any high-handedness. But if the people overstep the limits, then the law enforcement Agencies
should not remain mute spectators and will have to take effective action," Khanna said.
Meanwhile, political parties have reacted sharply to the remark, with Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar being the first one to slam the Lt Governor for his callous statement.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati has written to the Prime Minister asking him to sack the Lt Governor.
Information and Broadcasting Minister, Priyaranjan Das Munshi has said that any Lt Governor or any political leader will have to face consequences if they make such loose remarks.
Congress spokesperson, Jayanti Natrajan has stated that the party firmly opposes such comments.
"It is most shocking that a representative of the Union Government who happens to be in Delhi allegedly has made a remark about the behaviour of North Indians. If this is true, it is uncalled for. He should make immediate amends to it," BJP Spokesperson, Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.
Meanwhile, the Lt Governor's office released a press statement denying that Khanna had ever made the comment.
"Some TV channels have seriously distorted the context and content of the statement. The Lt Governor had referred to the comparitively lower level of autonomous self compliance of traffic regulations," the statement read.
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