Delhi ID card move was unconstitutional, says Mayawati

New Delhi, Jan 7 (UNI) Already embitterred towards the Centre for various reasons, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today came out with a strong opposition to the proposal(now sought to be withdrawn) for making it compulsory for all those living and work in Delhi to get identity cards.

''The measure is unconstitutional, and I have written a letter to the Prime Minister to oppose it,'' she told reporters here even as Delhi Lt Governor Tejender Khanna made a hasty retreat over the announcement made by him at a press conference here on Friday.

If such thing happens, it would be very anti-people. ''In fact I see it in the light of the recent statement by Delhi chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in which she described the people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh working in Delhi as a burden,' the Chief Minister said.

The measure is discriminatory and mooted to check the expanding vote base of the BSP in Delhi, she said.

The CPI(M), the BJP and the CPI(M-L) have already condemned the move. However, the Delhi Lt Governor today sought to clarify that no mandatory orders had been issued regarding possession of identity cards or their checking as such by Police from January 15, nor was it ever intended or suggested that non-possession of such ID cards would invite punishment.

The Lt Governor had on January four said, ''From January 15, all those residing or working in Delhi will be subjected to random checking wherein they will be required to produce to the police officers proof of their identity- it could be their driving licence, their PAN card, their passport, their ration card or their office ID card.'' UNI NAZ SHB DS1645