NEW DELHI: The MCD House meeting on Thursday witnessed chaotic scenes as opposition councillors stormed into the well of the House, raising slogans against the AAP-led government demanding discussion on several issues. Mayor Shelly Oberoi adjourned the meeting within a few minutes of starting saying the BJP councillors deliberately disrupted the House to hamper its proceedings.
The councillors demanded the arrest of Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj over the alleged supply of “substandard” drugs in city government hospitals. The mayor suspended the Leader of Opposition, Raja Iqbal Singh, for 15 days from the House along with three other BJP councillors Ravi Negi, Yogesh Verma and Gajendra Singh for repeatedly trying to halt the House proceedings.
“Due to repeated attempts of causing disruption in the House and halting its proceedings, the four members of the House have been suspended for 15 days,” Oberoi said. She added that the suspended counci llors will not be allowed to attend the next House meeting if it’s held before their suspension is over. Responding to the suspension and a bar on his entry in the next House meeting, Raja Iqbal Singh said that the AAP-led government doesn’t want to answer issues concerning public welfare and that he will participate in the next meeting despite the suspension.
“We have been suspended today. The mayor does not want us to raise the voice of the public. For the first time in the history of MCD, this happened. We were not informed about the agenda before the House. The questions we gave were rejected.
The mayor even refused to read the condolence motion to me before the House began,” he said. The House was adjourned amid heavy sloganeering by the BJP and Congress councillors who protested by holding placards with slogans “Saurabh Bharadwaj ko jail bhejo” (send Bharadwaj to jail), “House tax mafi yojna laao” ( bring house tax waiver policy) written on them.
Proposals pass amid chaos
Amid the ruckus, the mayor gave assent to 18 proposals, including an item on collection of toll tax and ECC from commercial vehicles entering Delhi. The House postponed three proposals and referred back to two items that will be reconsidered by the MCD commissioner to be tabled in next House meeting.