Delhi: AAP blames BJP for delaying employees’ salaries amid MCD unification, latter hits back

BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor, however, said Pathak habitually raised allegations without verifying facts.

“Why does the BJP make MCD employees suffer to this extent even after bringing the MCD directly under the Centre. The BJP should own up to its promises and pay the dues of the employees immediately,” Pathak said. “The BJP has been in power for 17 years in the MCD. In these 17 years, it has made things such that the MCD does not have the funds to clear employees’ salaries. The people of Delhi were eagerly waiting for the elections to be held to the MCD.”

“They expected the new civic body to resolve their problems. Instead of holding free and fair elections, the BJP brought out this unicorn of deceit wherein they unified the MCD and shelved elections for the time being,” he said.

The unified MCD formally came into existence on Sunday, with IAS officers Ashwani Kumar and Gyanesh Bharti assuming charge as the new civic body’s special officer and commissioner, respectively.

The MCD was trifurcated in 2012 during Congress leader Sheila Dikshit’s tenure as chief minister. It has now been reunified by merging the three civic bodies – North, South and East Delhi municipal corporations.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said AAP leader Durgesh Pathak had the habit of levelling allegations against the MCD without verifying facts only to cut a sorry figure thereafter. “It is time Pathak shed his political habit of criticising the MCD daily,” he said.

“While making this demand (for release of salary arrears) Durgesh Pathak did not remember that soon after the formation of the unified MCD, the new commissioner has announced that releasing salary arrears to employees is our priority and soon a part of arrears will be issued,” he said.

“The people of Delhi and employees of the MCD themselves know very well that their salaries are held up as the Delhi government has been cutting its funds and has till date not released even a penny out of the 2022-23 first quarter fund of the MCD,” he said.