Sheila Dikshit seeks private sector help to make Delhiites polite

Her advice to Delhiites on shedding the “rude and crude” tag may have gone largely unheeded, but that hasn’t dashed Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit’s hopes of effecting a behavioural change in the city before the Commonwealth Games due in October.

Calling out for private sector partnership to bring a change in behaviour patterns of Delhiites before the Commonwealth Games, Dikshit said: “If the private sector becomes an active partner, we can bring out a package on changing the behaviour of citizens.”
Addressing a Delhi Tourism conclave, the chief minister said: “We have to do some things that are extremely basic like giving our citizens the culture of politeness and sharing and caring for each other, so that the world goes back with an impression that they have been to a truly civilised city. After all, it is the behaviour of people that one remembers.”

While the CM lauded the city’s heritage, she took a dim view of the recurring complaints of tourists, both foreign and domestic, of being overcharged even for petty things. “We can be truly proud of our rich repertoire, but when we showcase it to people, especially during the Games, they [tourists] should be looked after and not go back with an impression that there are small-time crooks not charging proper rates [for services]. All that culture needs to change,” Dikshit said.

Ruing the fact that the government’s repeated appeals to Delhiites to become “well-mannered” were not taken seriously, Dikshit asked the private sector to support the government through awareness advertisements and training people in etiquettes right from school level.

“People listen to appeals of the private sector. The government is doing its part, but people tend to dismiss it as sarkaari baat
[government’s job],” the CM said.

This is the second time since last year that Dikshit has publicly lamented the behaviour of Delhiites. Last year, she made an impassioned plea to the people to dispel the impression that they were rude and crude. “Why should we hear that Delhi is rude and crude? Why are we resistant to change?” the CM had questioned.

A few days later, home minister P Chidambaram reiterated the CM’s plea saying, Delhiites need to behave like residents of a “big, good international city.”