Businessman Robert Vadra on Saturday criticized the exemptions granted to the vehicles of VIPs by the Delhi government in its 'odd-even scheme' to control pollution in India's capital.
"Odd and Even ways!! Creating parallel lists of exemption, is complete hypocrisy. If a law is implemented in the interest of the people, we all must adhere, and not be VIPs," Vadra, who is also the son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, said in a Facebook post.
On Thursday, Delhi government has issued a notification to introduce the odd-even formula for vehicles in Delhi from January 1, 2016 for a period of 15 days to deal with vehicular pollution caused by nearly 9 million private registered vehicles on the road.
Though chief ministers of states and union territories have been exempted from the odd-even formula, the CM of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal is not exempted.
Other VIPs that are exempt from the rule include embassy vehicles, vehicles of SPG protectees, vehicles bearing Ministry of Defence number plate, vehicles of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Governors of states, Chief justice of India, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, Union Ministers, Leaders of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, CMs of states and Union Territories, Supreme Court Judges, Delhi HC Judges, Lokayukta, Lieutenant Governor and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
The BJP has however, responded to Vadra's comments, dubbing them 'ironical'.
"What an irony. Mr Robert Vadra took privileges for not being an ordinary citizen and he is making a comment about exceptions. It is very ironical. It raises more questions about him," BJP leader Nalin Kohli told DNA.
Vadra still continues to be officially exempt from security checks at airports, as the accompanying spouse of SPG protectees are also exempted from pre-embarkation security checks at all civil airports in the country.
This means that if Vadra accompanies his wife Priyanka Gandhi, who is protected by the Special Protection Group (SPG), he is still exempted from pre-embarkation checks.