MCDs siphoned off money given by govt for paying salaries: AAP

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of corruption, claiming that leaders of the party siphoned off ₹1,095 crore which was given to the BJP-ruled municipal corporations last month by the Delhi government to pay off salaries to their employees

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of corruption, claiming that leaders of the party siphoned off ₹1,095 crore which was given to the BJP-ruled municipal corporations last month by the Delhi government to pay off salaries to their employees.

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The BJP dismissed the allegations as “baseless”.

“The AAP government released around ₹1,095 crore for the BJP-ruled MCDs to help them pay salaries to their employees. But the BJP has distributed the money among their own leaders. While the BJP leaders are claiming that they did not receive any money, bank statements show otherwise,” said the AAP’s in charge of municipal affairs Durgesh Pathak.

While the AAP is in charge of the Delhi government, the BJP rules all three municipal corporations. Employees in the municipal bodies – from health workers and teachers to sanitation workers and clerks – have been protesting over non-payment of their salaries.

While the corporations claim that they are facing a massive financial crunch because of inadequate funds released by the Delhi government, the latter has accused the municipal bodies of multiple scams. On January 14, the Delhi government had announced that it would give ₹938 crore to the MCDs for payment of salaries to their employees.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “These allegations are baseless. Delhi government has not given the MCDs ₹1,095 crore. They have given the MCDs ₹438 crore for salaries and ₹463 crore for expenses under other heads related to health and education. Such blatant lies will affect their prospects in the 2022 municipal polls in the city.”