AAP calls North MCD ‘corrupt’, demands CAG probe; BJP says allegation ‘baseless’

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led North Delhi Municipal Corporation of corruption, and said the civic body has been under-recording the amount of property tax it has collected every year, and demanded the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) investigate the matter.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led North Delhi Municipal Corporation of corruption, and said the civic body has been under-recording the amount of property tax it has collected every year, and demanded the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) investigate the matter.

Durgesh Pathak, AAP’s in charge of municipal corporation affairs (Keshav Singh/HT photo)

The BJP, which governs the three municipal corporations in the city, hit back, calling the allegations “baseless”.

“The North MCD should be collecting ₹2,100 crore as property tax from 12 lakh people every year, but records show that only ₹700 crores is collected annually from four lakh people. The remaining ₹1400 crore is siphoned off,” said Durgesh Pathak, AAP’s in charge of municipal corporation affairs.

He also said, “The BJP leaders are looting ₹1400 crores collected by the MCD in the name of property tax, due to which they cannot pay their employees — doctors, nursing staff, teachers and sanitation workers. AAP demands that this matter should be thoroughly investigated by the CAG.”

BJP’s Delhi unit spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “AAP is a bunch of people who are experts on baseless statements. The party is in power in the Delhi government, and if they feel there is any kind of scam in MCDs they are free to recommend a CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation] probe, or else they should stop churning baseless allegations.”