Mayors set up ‘offices’ outside Delhi CM residence

The deadlock between the mayors and the Delhi government entered into its eighth day on Monday.

The mayors of the three BJP-led municipal corporations started clearing pending files from their makeshift offices from outside Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on Monday, the eighth day of their protest against the government for alleged non-payment of dues.

Mayors of the three municipal corporations of Delhi protesting outside Kejriwal’s residence, demanding the release of funds the government allegedly owes them. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

The deadlock between the mayors and the government entered into its eighth day on Monday.

From Tuesday, between 1pm and 2pm, the mayors will conduct public dealings from the same location.

On Monday, files pertaining to development work and other administrative works were brought to the temporary office outside chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Flag Staff Road residence by municipal officials. The mayors said that they will continue doing office work from here till the time the chief minister orders for the release of Rs 13,000 crore, which they allege the government owes to the municipal corporation.

The three mayors started their office work around 11.30 am and met officials throughout the day to clear pending work, as they had not been attending office for the past one week. The mayors said that the public can come and meet them at their makeshift office between 1pm and 2pm.

North corporation mayor Jai Prakash said, “Today, we met a few people from the public. But from Tuesday, we will do public dealings from here. Those who come to our office at the Civic Centre will be redirected to come and meet us here. They can tell us in advance and we will take the necessary police permission. Unlike Kejriwal, we can’t let the public suffer.”

In the temporary tent erected outside the CM’s residence, the mayors had set up their offices by putting banners which read “Mayor’s office” followed by the name of the respective corporation.

“We had called the additional commissioners and heads of the departments to discuss pending work. We have given them instructions that the municipal work shouldn’t suffer due to our protest. Now onwards, the files will be brought here for clearance,” south corporation mayor, Anamika Mithilesh Singh, said.

Nirmal Jain, mayor of East corporation, added, “It is unfortunate that the CM doesn’t want to talk to the mayors and find a solution to the problem. After all the issue we are raising will have an impact on Delhi. But he is just not concerned.”

Reacting to the ongoing protest of the mayors, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday said the BJP is just doing “drama all day” and “playing dirty politics”.

“The mayors of the BJP ruled MCD are sitting outside the residence of Delhi chief minister and chilling there. At the same time, the commissioners of the BJP ruled MCD are on leave for the last 15 days. The mayors have left the MCD to God. The people of Delhi want cleanliness and governance and they are now regretting about electing them,” said senior leader and AAP’s chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj.

He said the AAP has also exposed a scam of Rs 2500 crores, wherein the north MCD waived off the money owed to it by the South MCD. “This scam is much bigger than the Commonwealth Games scam which happened under the then chief minister Sheila Dixit. This is the biggest scam in the history of Delhi, but the BJP has not responded on this matter as well,” Bhardwaj said.

BJP complaints to NCW against AAP

The Delhi BJP has filed a complaint with the National Commission for Women (NCW) against the AAP-led Delhi government for installing CCTV cameras near the tent setup by the mayors outside the CM’s residence. Citing privacy of women councillors, who have been sitting on protest outside the CM’s residence, the BJP said the CCTVs were being installed in violation of the “Delhi Rules for regulations of CCTV camera systems in NCT of Delhi 2018.

Demanding an inquiry, the BJP said the way CCTVs were being installed invaded the privacy of female councillors.

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said, “What happened yesterday outside CM’s residence was unfortunate. It is a question of privacy of women councillors. Why do they want to install CCTVs near the tent? There are already so many CCTVs in the area. We have requested the commission inquire into the matter.”

Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said by disallowing to install CCTV cameras outside the CM’s residence, the BJP mayors and councillors are trying to hide their misdeeds.

“They did not only manhandled the officials who were installing the cameras, but also broke the devices. They are definitely trying to hide some conspiracy which they are hatching by sitting outside the CM’s residence,” he said.

Bhardwaj said the cameras overlook the street and have nothing to do with privacy.

“By that logic, the cameras installed at similar location outside the LG’s office should also be removed and broken. Why didn’t the BJP raise the privacy issue on that? The cameras were not being put to peep into anyone’s house. The logic of woman’s privacy and all is totally absurd,” he said.