FOR FAVOUR OF PUBLICATION

NEW DELHI, Feb. 1—Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Shri Jai Prakash Agarwal, MP said the BJP-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had deviated from its avowed objective of serving the people as the MCD rule was steeped in corruption with the BJP Councillors being hand in glove with corrupt MCD officials.

Thousands of people raised slogans against 10-month misrule of the BJP in the MCD. The slogans included “tod-fod aur sealing ki jimmedar—nigam me Bhajpa ki sarkar”. The effigy of the BJP was burned by the demonstrators in the middle of Keshav Chowk shouting slogans like “BJP hai, hai”.

Shri Jai Prakash Agarwal, addressing the demonstration organised by the DPCC outside the MCD office at Shahdara North Zone here today to protest against the anti-people policies of the MCD and the corruption of the BJP leaders, said the BJP was solely responsible for the ongoing sealing and demolition drive in Delhi, which was intended to harass ordinary people who did not subscribe to the BJP's corrupt and communal views. The demonstration was convened by Municipal Councillor Shri Taj Mohammad.

Besides Shri Agarwal, others who addressed the demonstration were Opposition Leader in the MCD Shri Jai Kishan Sharma, former leader of theHouse in the MCD Shri Jitender Kumar Jitu, Municipal Councillor Shri Taj Mohd, area MLA Shri Mateen Ahmed, Shri Vinay Sharma, Dr. Narender Nath, Shri Bhisham Sharma and Shri Amrish Gautam, Municipal Councillor Smt. Razia Sultana, District Observer Shri Mahmood Zia, Dr.Naresh Kumar and Municipal Councillor Ch. Ajit Singh. Other prominent participants were MCD Councillor Kumari Geeta, Shakeela Begum, Vidya Devi, Shakuntla Devi, Sohan Lal, Hem Chand Goel, Rakesh Rajora, Satbir Sharma, DPCC office-bearers Deepak Gothi, Dheerender Tyagi, Darshna Ramkumar, former Mayor Ashok Kumar Jain, former DPYC presidents Brahm Yadav and Shri Jaiveer Singh Nagar, Shri Om Prakash Kaushik, Babu Lal Sankhla, former MLA Radhey Shyam Khanna and thousands of East Delhi Congress Workers.

Shri Agarwal said the BJP had indulged in unprecedented corruption during its 10-month rule in Delhi , at the cost of development and progress, for which the Congress was demanding a responsible response from the communal party. He said the BJP had set a new record in irresponsible administration and ruthless corruption, to suck the blood of the common people of the Capital. He said the condition of cleanliness, primary education and house tax were in a total mess and the BJP was doing nothing to set things right to give relief to the people.

Shri Agarwal said the BJP Councillors were not working for the welfare of the people who had elected them to power, but instead they were being exploited in every possible manner to make the lives of the common people beyond endurance and tolerance.

Shri Agarwal said the BJP began its innings in the MCD by indulging in open fight with the BSP Councillors inside the house which was a shame and the first-ever such incident in the history of the MCD. He said the BJP Councillors also tried to assault the Congress Councillors when they raised the issues of the people, and similar high-handed attitudes were adopted against the teachers and employees of the MCD which was very demeaning and lowered the image of the august House.

Shri Agarwal said the BJP leaders had no right to remain in power after indulging in so much of corruption in such a short time and doing anti-people activities, and therefore, they should resign from the MCD.

Shri Agarwal said why the sealing and demolition drive was still continuing without any letup despite the BJP's boast during the MCD election campaign that it would stop them if they came to power. He said the BJP had always deceived the people of Delhi with false promises and assurances, and the present BJP rule in the MCD had broken all records of corruption and inefficiency. He wanted to know that the BJP leaders, who shout about “Jain Bharo Andolan”, was threatening whom as the BJP itself was the culprit.

Shri Agarwal reminded that during the BJP rule, the Malhotra Committee was constituted but its report was put in the cold storage by its own Union Minister Shri Jagmohan as he was determined to “change the face of Delhi”, which, in effect, meant the driving out of the poor and the ordinary people from Delhi, to make the Capital the sole preserve of the elite, the rich and the powerful. He said the BJP people should ask Shri Jagmohan why he passed a law for the ceiling and demolition drive in Delhi if the party was interested in the welfare of the people of Delhi .

Shri Agarwal said the BJP can no more confuse or confound the people of Delhi with its false assurances as the people had seen through the corrupt face of the communal party in its 10-month old rule in the MCD. He said it had now become evident that only the Congress could give a clean and efficient administration and for which the party will continue to wage its agitation.

PRAMOD KUMAR
Office Secretary

The Chief Reporter

New Delhi.