NEW DELHI: Three mayors of the BJP-ruled municipal corporations and councillors, protesting outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence against alleged non-disbursal of funds to the civic bodies, began an indefinite hunger strike on Thursday.
Nearly 40,000 workers also observed a day-long fast at 240 places in six parliamentary constituencies from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm in support of the municipal leaders.
North Delhi Mayor Jai Prakash, who has been leading the sit-in, said that the functionaries of three municipal corporations are determined.
“We have begun a hunger strike today and are determined to go to any extent to expose CM Kerjiwal before the people of Delhi. So far, all 20 leaders, on strike, are doing fine. Their condition is being monitored and some of them have blood pressure and high sugar level,” he said.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi lashed out at the Delhi AAP government and Kejriwal, accusing them of false politics.
Speaking at a press conference at the party’s headquarters, she said that the Kejriwal government spent Rs 300 crore on advertisement from 2015 to 2020 but they pleaded to the central government to give funds to the municipal corporations.
“Kejriwal, who has set a record of apologising by lying, is being established as U-turn Chief Minister. Kejriwal is habituated of lying on every issue and running away from the problems of the people of Delhi. He comes up with a new lie every day, but their lie is soon exposed. He has nothing to do with the problems related to the people of Delhi,” Lekhi said.
According to the three municipal corporations, Rs 13,000 crore are to be paid to them by the AAP government. They have been staying put at CM’s residence for 11 days.
“The people of Delhi have understood the lies of Kejriwal. Kejriwal has a hunger to shine his face in the media. He has crores of rupees for new advertisements every day but does not have money to pay the dues of the three municipal corporations of Delhi. Dues of the Municipal Corporations are not the money of BJP or Kejriwal, it is the money of the poor people of Delhi, but Kejriwal may want to usurp this money by lying,” Lekhi said.