‘Delhi Mayor turning a blind eye to our issues’: Three AAP councillors say facing public ire

“I’ve been connected with the corporation for the last 20 years and I have never seen governance like this,” she said, expressing her frustration with the current state of governance.

Preeti has previously served thrice as an independent councillor. “Earlier, we used to raise issues of public welfare in the House. Now it feels like a wedding — councillors gather, they sing, they clap, they eat, raise slogans, and then they leave, but no work takes place.”

One of her demands was the construction and repair of public toilets in her ward, which she described as a matter of women’s safety.

“I had sent a file proposing the construction of more toilets and the repair of those in a dilapidated condition. When we visit public spaces such as markets, there is a dearth of toilets. The AAP protested for women’s safety today, but when it comes to actually doing something for women’s welfare, they have rejected my proposal,” she alleged.

In her proposal, she sought an allocation of Rs 18 lakh to build 12 toilets.

Preeti also criticised inadequate funding for developmental tasks. “We only got a Rs 15 lakh budget this year, compared to Rs 75 lakh last year,” she said. “Earlier, apart from the councillor’s fund, separate funds would be allocated for horticulture tasks, sanitation work… this has been discontinued. There is no money to perform civil works, and it’s us councillors who are being cursed by the public.”

Joining Preeti in her protest was Narender Kumar Girsa, an AAP councillor from Manglapuri.

Girsa, who had earlier filed his nomination for the post of Deputy Mayor along with Vijay Kumar from Trilokpuri, held up letters he had written to the Commissioner seeking action on desilting and waterlogging.

Not mincing words, he hit out at Mayor Shelly Oberoi and said: “It is the AAP’s responsibility to ensure discussions on these issues take place in the House before the monsoon season, but it was not done. This is the Mayor’s fault. The opposition has also failed to hold her accountable.”

“The number of dengue cases has surpassed 400, yet no discussion has taken place; fogging has not started. If they want to govern the MCD in this manner, then it is no different from having no governance at all,” he said.

Alka Dhingra, councillor from Moti Nagar, said authorities  — including the Mayor — have been turning a blind eye to issues they have been flagging. “The people in our ward are extremely unhappy with us due to this. Despite raising these issues multiple times, the Mayor does nothing to address them. We cannot do much on our own due to the lack of funds,” she said.

Sources in the AAP revealed that the party had requested the Commissioner to allocate a fund of Rs 75 lakh, but only Rs 15 lakh was approved. “There is not much the party can do in this regard. Ultimately, it is the Commissioner’s decision,” said a source.

In response, MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar said: “The corporation does not have funds to meet even committed liabilities for salary/retirement dues and contractual dues, and it is falling short of the liabilities to be paid as per orders of the High Court. So ‘giving Rs 75 lakh’ is a misleading posturing. The Delhi government also has not given budgetary support due to corporation.”