AAP legislators ask LG to reinstate bus marshals

In a press conference on the Delhi assembly premises, AAP MLAs said that bus marshals came from poor families and it was difficult for them to take care of family expenses

New Delhi

A bus marshal in action in 2019. (HT Archive)

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators Sanjeev Jha and Kuldeep Kumar on Tuesday appealed to lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena to restore jobs of bus marshals who were sacked last year and have since been repeatedly protesting the cull.

In a press conference on the Delhi assembly premises, Jha said that bus marshals came from poor families and it was difficult for them to take care of family expenses. “Therefore, the LG should restore their jobs on humanitarian grounds, keeping in mind the plight of their families,” he said.

“In February 2024, a proposal was passed in the assembly to continue the services of bus marshals and sent to the LG, but they were not reinstated. The appointment of 10,000 bus marshals was cancelled on the orders of the LG. Our appeal to the LG is that if you want to take political revenge, then take it on the AAP. What have the bus marshals done to you?” Jha said.

The office of the LG did not respond to requests for comment.

The Delhi government deployed civil defence volunteers (CDVs) as bus marshals in 2015, but the state revenue and finance departments, in early 2023, objected to it, noting that according to the Civil Defence Act, CDVs could only be roped in as volunteers during natural disasters or calamities. Subsequently, their services were discontinued from November 1, 2023.

“Bus marshals were removed despite objections by transport minister Kailash Gahlot, who gave clear instructions that they will continue to work in the same way. Despite the instructions and notes of CM Arvind Kejriwal and all the ministers, the deployment of bus marshals was not restored, and their pending salaries were also not paid,” Jha said.

BJP MLA Abhay Verma held the Arvind Kejriwal government responsible for “playing with careers of youth” who took up government jobs in civil defence, without following norms.

“When their job and salary files got stuck in the vigilance inquiry, Arvind Kejriwal wrote to the LG to remove the marshals from service. It is regrettable that now, when these unemployed youths are agitating for re-employment, some AAP leaders like MP Sanjay Singh are calling them BJP agents while on the other hand, other legislators are again trying to mislead the volunteers by showing fictitious sympathy,” Verma said.

“Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva has already announced that once BJP comes to power in Delhi after January 2025 assembly elections, BJP will give these youth government or semi-government employment and fulfil the commitment in 100 days of coming to power,” Verma said.