Anti-CM hoardings removal: BJP protests against MCD officials
The BJP on Tuesday strongly protested against the officials of the MCD over removal of party hoardings against Delhi government's power tariff policy, but the Municipal Commissioner gave a new twist to the issue saying the posters were pulled down under the Mayor's orders to act againt illegal advertisements.
The BJP on Tuesday strongly protested against the officials of the MCD over removal of party hoardings against Delhi government's power tariff policy, but the Municipal Commissioner gave a new twist to the issue saying the posters were pulled down under the Mayor's orders to act againt illegal advertisements.
The issue of removal of hoardings carrying messages against the Sheila Dikshit government was raised at a meeting of MCD House by BJP councillors.
The hoardings against the government's power tariff policy have already led to bitter acromony between BJP and Congress with Dikshit slapping a defamation notice on Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta and the latter accusing the chief minister of acting in an "undemocratic" manner.
Facing strong protests from the ruling party members, Municipal Commissioner K S Mehra told the MCD House that the hoardings were removed after direction from the city Mayor himself.
He said the Mayor had asked the officials to take suitable action against all illegal hoardings and the BJP posters have been removed from various parts of the city following the Supreme Court approved policy and as per procedure following consultations with the MCD's legal adviser.
Leader of MCD House Subhash Arya, however, accused the Commissioner of trying to "mislead" the House.
"The Mayor had written a letter 20 days back asking the officials to remove illegal advertisements. But these were all authorised paid sites. These were not illegal hoardings. The Mayor is out of station and will speak on the issue after he comes back," Arya said.
Arya had earlier accused Dikshit of "pressurising" MCD officials to remove the hoardings.
MCD Standing Committee chairperson Yogender Chandoila said that the Mayor had written to the Commissioner asking him to remove all such hoardings that were unauthorised, made personal attacks or were put up at unauthorised sites.
However, the hoardings in question made remarks against the state administration and did not attack the CM personally, he said.
"The letter written by the Mayor was a general one about unauthorised hoardings but the posters in question were completely legal, as the party had gone through the proper channels to pay for the authorised advertising sites," Chandolia said, adding, the commissioner has asked to ensure that such an action is not repeated.