NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi on Wednesday took to flyovers and foot overbridges (FoB) at about 100 locations demanding immediate release of alleged outstanding funds to the municipal corporations. The protests were part of Jan Jagran Abhiyan (public awareness campaign) about the Rs 13,000 crore dues which the three civic bodies are claiming from the AAP government.
“The campaign is targeted to make people aware of how the Kejriwal government is ‘depriving’ BJP ruled municipal corporations their dues of Rs 13,000 crore because of political reasons. Our party workers stood at the flyovers and FoBs with banners and posters,” said Delhi BJP vice president Virendra Sachdeva who attended events in Shahdara.
The BJP, the ruling party in the three MCDs for nearly 15 years, and the AAP have been indulging in a blame game with civic body polls approaching in early 2022. While the AAP leadership has been attacking the BJP alleging ‘corruption and mismanagement’ in the corporations, the BJP is alleging that the govt is intentionally holding funds of the civic agencies.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Mohan Lal Gihara said that the municipal employees and Delhi BJP workers are making efforts for the past several days to wake the government from slumber but the chief minister is spending money on his publicity. Recently, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced that the Delhi government would provide Rs 938 crore to the municipal corporations to clear due salaries of its employees.
“The doctors, nurses, sanitation workers and other employees of municipal corporations have not been paid due to the lack of funds for months as the Kejriwal government is not releasing money to the corporations. No money has been released so far despite Sisodia’s announcement,” said Delhi BJP vice president Sunil Yadav who led protests in South Delhi. Raja Iqbal Singh, chairman of Civil Lines zone, said even if the government handed over Rs 938 crores as it had promised, it wouldn’t help. “The North Delhi Municipal Corporation will get about Rs 425 crores. Its staff salaries and pension for a month is Rs 340 crore,” he said.