Why Twitter Screamed "Sack Sheila"?

Twitter was abuzz recently with #SackSheila calls. Of course, you wouldn't see any major media house going after the CM of Delhi, like it goes after a few other CMs of India.

Did you wonder why media, particularly the TV section, shields Sheila Dikshit, even after Shunglu report, Lokayukta hits and a whole lot of administrative failures over the past decade? By any chance, is it being in the 'good books' of the all powerful dynasty?

Sheila Dikshit with Rahul Gandhi. {Image: Paisawala.com}

Browsing through a few hundred tweets, I found the salient pieces of information shared by Twitter users. Go through them, and the links of blogs or newspaper reports with them, to get a fair idea of why #SackSheila was such a big buzz on social networks recently. Since it was India's topmost trending topic, there were literally 1000s of tweets, so my presentation below is only a microcosm of them, in no particular order.

1. Let's start with Lokayukta and Corruption Charges part. Delhi Lokayukta (Ombudsman) asked the President of India to pull up Sheila Dikshit. By any standard of indictment, that must have been a huge deal. But did the President listen? No way..If you are an expert in getting into the 'good books' of the dynasty, President of India will give you a clean chit herself. It did happen in this case for sure.
2. Do you know that even an ordinary minister of Congress CM, Sheila Dikshit, has guts to hit back at a Lokayukta? 

3. Delhi Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin {Image: facenfacts}

   Many screamed, Dear Mrs. Pratibha Patil, why not act firmly on Lokayukta's plea?
4. Sheila Dixit alleged to be responsible for Rs.200 crore power privatization scam from 2002-03. Forgotten now?
5. "Delhi case different from Karnataka, says Sheila".  Why? Is Delhi Lokayukta a second class Lokayukta compared to Karnataka's?
6. Let's check the crime in Delhi part: Delhi has highest rate of crime against women 27.6 compared to national avg 14.1 per 100,000. If one goes through National Crime bureau's record website, there's a clear indication that Delhi is probably the worst, if not THE worst among 35 major cities of India, when it comes to crime against women.
7. Annual increase in rape cases in Delhi since 2001 is 18%. This is from Delhi Police's official figures on their website. How much more pathetic this administration can be?
8. Why do thugs in The Capital City feel they cant do whatever and still be free? One shameful example was Three rape in moving car for six hours!
9. Sheila said 'One should not be adventurous' when journalist Soumya was murdered in Delhi. What a terrific advice to women, that too to a journalist! 
10. Not one but two abduction attempts in Delhi/NCR the same day? Case 1& Case 2
11. Sheila Dixit gave parole to Jessica Lall murderer Manu Sharma despite Home Ministry advice not to do so.  
12. Police assaulted on sleeping men, women & kids at Ramlila grounds during Baba Ramdev fast episode. Even though the decision might be from UPA government, the way Sheila Dikshit handled the situation was deplorable.
13. Now let's focus on the all important mega corruption of Commonwealth Games (CWG): Commonwealth Games scandal was India's worst in sports history.  V.K. Shunglu report squarely blamed the Delhi CM. But, not just her, even the media cleanly pushed it below the carpet. Dikshit madam went to the extent of 'trashing' it !!
14. Here is the power of Indian media. Four months after Shunglu report, protests, arrests, now Sheila is "clean" :)
15. Sheila Dikshit, Sonia Gandhi and Congress used Kalmadi

    Suresh and Sheila..Let's get CWG "done" together! {Source: Hindu}

    & then snubbed him after CWG scam. But later Kalmadi hit back! Read both sides of the story and you will know which side is weaker. Some feel that unfortunately only a smaller player in CWG scam went to Tihar jail, while the other roaming free. Worse.. Kalmadi now has 'dementia' which means, his words won't be credible anymore!
16. Kalmadi was not innocent by any means. But he was made the only scapegoat by CBI, apparently protecting Sheila Dikshit.
17. Do you recall how Patriotism was "re-defined" by Sheila Dikshit, in the corruption context?  
18. Looking back at "CWG Scam: We will come out clean" statement, we know exactly what she meant, don't we?
19. Explain the delay in auditing Games: Shunglu to CAG -- Which essentially could mean a coverup right from beginning of Commonwealth Games.
20. Sheila Dikshit on Shunglu report: 24th Mar 2011, she said "No Idea" -  by 29th Mar, she was read to say it was "Self Contradictory".  Valuable tricks to learn as to how to trash a meticulous report showing glaring failures of a CM!
21. Now to nepotism charges: Have you read this about Sheila's relatives? Rajeev Sreenivasan's blog tells a lot more.  
22. Mushrooming dynasty, was another angle Twitter users highlighted. It's not just bringing kids to politics, but what happens after that (see Kanchan's blog linked below).
23. How about securityand anti-terrorism track record? Delhi continuously hit by terror attacks - 22 Dec 2000, 13 Dec 2001, 29 Oct 2005 and 13 Sept 2008. All during Sheila Dikshit's CMship!
24. Delhi 2005 terror attack, 62 dead. Dappened during Deepavali time. Pahranganj, Govindpuri, Sarojini Nagar. Any chief planner(s) punished?
25. September 13, 2008 Delhi blast Victims still wait for justice. Sheila remembers to forget and media forgets to remember this.
26. Afzal Guru, the chief perpetrator of the 2001 attack on the temple of Indian democracy, the parliament, was shielded quoting some votebankish, 'sensitive nature of case' excuse :(
27. Now to some healthcare and public safety mega faults: Integrated Government Health Scheme cost us 775 kids. Nipping out next generation in the bud. 
28. Do read Kanchan Gupta's blog on how Sheila Dikshit & her MP son, shamefully washed hands off 66 deaths.
29. This March 2011 report indicates crime rate still on the rise in Delhi. How many terms this CM had to fix the crime in Delhi?
30. Delhi Buses are considered major killing machines. Govt of Delhi cant do anything about it. Recent death - 8th May.
31. While Delhi Bus accidents are more of a normalcy, Delhi also saw Metro accidents. Here's a list. 
32. In 2009, seven pregnant women and 882 children enrolled with the ICDS died. Year after year, the same sad story of poor administration costing lives.
33. Commonwealth Games Scam is methodically kept away from Delhi CM, by most media houses. India Against Corruption's Arvind Khejriwal cites that and appeals to India. Sheila's name must figure prominantly in that based on Shunglu report.
34. To avoid embarrassment during CWG, Delhi Blueline was off road. Sheila cant fix problem, instead evades! How many more terms does she need to fix these killer buses?

I would stop here. If you want more, just search Twitter archives for #SackSheila and you can browse through literally 1000s of tweets from across India and Indians abroad. After this snapshot of a bigger picture painted on Twitter by public, isn't it time for big name media houses to sing.. #SackSheila ?

Would they? Your guess is as good as mine.

Did it get too *hot*? Enjoy a spoof..
"My name is Sheila.. Sheila ki jawani"