NEW DELHI: A day after slamming the BJP-ruled municipal corporation for “taxing” temples in East Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party MLA Atishi on Wednesday flayed the saffron party for its alleged move to levy parking charges from devotees at the Hanuman temple in Yamuna Bazar.
“The North Delhi Municipal Corporation has hit a new low. This is for the first time ever in Delhi’s history that pilgrims will be asked to pay parking fees to visit the revered Hanuman Mandir. It is a direct attack on the faith of lakhs of people. Driven by its incessant greed, the BJP is trying to commercialise the previously free parking at the renowned temple. The party is trying to make money in every way possible in its last four months in power before the forthcoming elections,” she added.
However, Mayor Raja Iqbal of North MCD denied the allegations. “Aam Aadmi Party is digging out unnecessary issues every day. We have decided to cancel those tenders. No parking fees will be imposed at the Hanuman Mandir.”
Atishi shared a notice, according to which the North MCD started tendering process worth Rs 7 lakh for allotting the parking space.
Atishi at a press conference also said the East MCD had sent a notice to a temple in Chandu Park asking it to avail commercial license if it wanted to continue running. “The notice says the temple needs to apply for a license like commercial establishments, otherwise it will be sealed.”
The AAP legislator on Tuesday alleged that the East MCD asked temples, gurdwaras and mosques in its jurisdiction to pay property tax. EDMC Mayor Shyam Sunder Aggarwal, however, had rejected the AAP leader’s claim as “baseless”. However, when asked about a copy of a document shown by Atishi during her press conference in this connection, he said, “We will check if there is any clerical mistake and action will be taken accordingly.”