Delhi Municipal House Erupts in Chaos Over Contractual Employee Regularization

Disorder in the Delhi Municipal Corporation House

On Thursday, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House was thrown into turmoil due to a heated debate regarding the regularization of 12,000 contractual employees. The session quickly escalated into a scene of shouting and disorder, leading to an adjournment.

The uproar began shortly after the meeting commenced, with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillors, spearheaded by Leader of Opposition Ankush Narang, passionately calling for the immediate regularization of these workers.

AAP members accused the BJP-led MCD of being 'anti-Dalit' and neglecting the welfare of sanitation and contractual workers. Their slogans filled the chamber, prompting Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh to suspend the session for ten minutes.

In his address, Narang stated, 'During our tenure, we approved a proposal to regularize 12,000 contractual employees and allocated Rs 800 crore for their salaries and retirement benefits. However, the BJP-led MCD is now refusing to act on it.'

He further claimed that the BJP's so-called 'four-engine government'—which includes their rule at the Centre, the Delhi L-G office, the state government, and the MCD—is intentionally denying fundamental rights to Dalit workers. 'Let the BJP take credit, but they must regularize the workers. What prevents the Mayor from directing the Commissioner to implement this?' he questioned.

Narang also criticized the BJP's behavior during AAP's governance in the MCD, stating, 'Back then, the BJP consistently disrupted the House and obstructed its functioning. Now, when we present a legitimate demand, the House is adjourned.'

In response to the disruption, Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh accused the Opposition of intentionally hindering the proceedings. 'AAP councillors are creating chaos to obstruct crucial public welfare decisions. These sessions are meant for councillors to address ward issues, but AAP seems focused solely on causing disorder,' Singh remarked.

He highlighted that despite being in power for only two months, the BJP-led MCD has made significant progress in desilting efforts, removing 1.4 lakh metric tonnes of silt this year—almost double the 77,000 metric tonnes removed last year. 'Their theatrics will not deter us from serving the public. If necessary, we will convene a special session,' he added.

Additionally, Mayor Singh introduced a significant reform aimed at enhancing the Ease of Doing Business by eliminating the 'Inspector Raj' in the factory license renewal process. Under this new framework, factory licenses in designated industrial areas will be directly tied to property tax, with owners required to pay five percent of their annual property tax as a license fee. 'This is a substantial relief for industries, yet even this reform faced opposition from AAP,' he asserted.