NEW DELHI: AAP on Tuesday attacked the BJP-ruled municipal corporations alleging that they have “looted” the civic bodies so much so that their employees have been forced to take to the streets for “70 lakh hours” till date demanding their due salaries.
The BJP hit back saying that it is the AAP-led Delhi government which has not released funds due to the civic bodies, because of which the staffers have been deprived of their dues. Senior AAP leader Durgesh Pathak, who is also the party’s municipal affairs-in charge, alleged that civic employees have taken to the streets demanding their dues at least 10 times in the past year. “BJP has looted the MCD to such an extent that it has no money to pay its employees. People of Delhi will avenge the sufferings by throwing BJP out of the MCD in the next elections,” said Pathak.
AAP and the BJP have been sparring over issues of funds and alleged corruption. The mud-slinging is at its peak now, as civic polls in Delhi are scheduled for April this year. Pathak said that the MCD employees are facing difficulties in managing day-to-day expenses. These protests have taken up as long as 53 days from the normalcy of their lives.
“Over the past year, the first protest went on for 16 days. Over 52,000 protested during this time. Another 1,000 employees demonstrated a sit in for a day on March 9. Then on 26th and 27th October there were over 1,400 staffers protesting against the BJP. On November 1, another 1,100 employees protested. Then for 33 days from November 29th to December 31st, 1,200 employees protested on the streets braving harsh cold. On December 8th, 13th, 23rd and 27th around 14,500 employees held sit-ins,” Pathak said.