MCD ruckus: BJP stages protest over ‘assaulting’ women councillors, AAP counters

BJP demands suspension of AAP councillors involved in alleged assaulting of women members.

Delhi Police on Monday used water cannon at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers who were protesting outside Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence against the violence in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House on January 6, leading to alleged assaulting of two women BJP councillors. Demanding suspension of councillors involved in creating ruckus, BJP MP Parvesh Verma said women councillors have not been assaulted before. Similarly, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also held a counter-protest against BJP in the national capital, alleging the right-wing party of rigging the mayoral poll.

AAP and BJP councillors clash during the oath-taking ceremony and election of mayor and deputy mayor at the MCD civic centre in New Delhi.(File)

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“Our protest will continue until CM Kejriwal doesn't suspend goon Municipal Councillors. How dare our women Municipal Councillors were hit by them, this hasn't ever happened before in history. We request LG to suspend goon Councillors,” Verma was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

On January 6, clash broke out between BJP and AAP councillors inside the chambers of MCD ahead of the Delhi mayoral polls. The chaos took place over the swearing-in of nominated councillors. High-pitched ruckus kicked-off after the presiding officer invited alderman Manoj Kumar to take oath first. AAP claimed that the BJP attempted to derail the mayoral poll with 10 nominated aldermen being swore-in before the poll begins. BJP accused AAP of assaulting two female councillors – Anita and Inder Kaur – amid ruckus and one them allegedly suffered a cut.

AAP also staged a protest outside the BJP headquarters today. During the demonstration, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the right-wing party has a PhD in ‘dishonesty’.

“She (AAP mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi) has a PhD in commerce and those from the BJP are ready to take oath after doing PhD in dishonesty,” he said.

CM Kejriwal earlier accused Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena of “illegally” encroaching upon the rights of the elected government by “misusing” the bureaucracy. He also said that letting nominated councillors to vote in the polls is “unconstitutional”. Shelly Oberoi and Aaley Mohammed Iqbal are the AAP candidates for the post of MCD mayor and deputy mayor. Whereas, Rekha Gupta and Kamal Bagdi are the BJP's candidates for the two respective posts.