- Delhi Mayor accused AAP councillors of disrupting SC Welfare Committee election process
- AAP alleged election was rushed and seats reduced to favour BJP candidates
- BJP candidates declared unopposed after AAP did not file nomination forms
High drama played out during the election of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's Scheduled Caste Welfare Committee on Thursday, with AAP and BJP trading charges. While Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi accused AAP councillors of disrupting the election process, AAP alleged that the election was hurriedly conducted to ensure panel posts for the BJP councillors.
The BJP candidates for the panel were declared unopposed after the election, which AAP alleged was conducted in violation of rules.
AAP councillors alleged that the election was originally scheduled for 3 pm on Thursday but was advanced and conducted in the absence of their councillors. They further alleged that the seats on the SC panel were arbitrarily reduced from 35 to 21 to ensure that the BJP gets the chairperson and vice-chairperson posts.
AAP councillor and Leader of Opposition in the MCD Ankush Narang said: "The BJP-ruled MCD reduced the number of Dalit members in the SC/ST Welfare Committee from 35 to just 21 with the objective of appointing its own chairperson and vice-chairperson."
He further stated that he had also written to the MCD against reducing the number of members and had urged it to postpone the election. He had demanded that the number of Dalit members be increased from 21 back to 35 before the election was conducted.
"However, the BJP acted arbitrarily and went ahead with the election."
The AAP leaders later protested at the Mayor's chamber, which led to a heated argument between the two sides and a confrontation with security officials. AAP leaders barged into the Mayor's office and raised slogans. A heated verbal confrontation took place between the councillors and the Mayor. Amid the commotion, AAP councillor Prem Chauhan also tore his kurta in protest.
The Mayor said AAP had not nominated a candidate for the election and questioned the party's decision to oppose the process despite not fielding a candidate
."When the dates for filing nomination forms for the election were announced, the Aam Aadmi Party did not submit a form; consequently, the candidate was declared elected unopposed," Mayor Wahi said.
The Mayor also accused the AAP councillors of misbehaviour and hit out at Chauhan for tearing his clothes. "They behaved indecently in front of the women councillors by tearing their clothes," the Mayor said.
Narang said AAP councillors would continue their fight for what they described as the rights and entitlements of Delhi's Dalits.
