Cong wants MCD House dissolved

Even before he finished speaking, all hell broke loose with all BJP councillors collectively got up and began simultaneously criticising the Congress. Sharply rebutting the proposal, Leader of the House Shanti Desai told Sharma that 8220;he did not need to have all the qualities of a leader, just because he had been elected the leader of the opposition8221;.

Desai said that had Sharma put forth a proposal to congratulate Sheila Dikshit on her taking over as Chief Minister, the proposal would have been received warmly by everyone. He pointed out that just because the BJP had lost the legislative Assembly elections, it did not mean that the Congress should propose to remove them from the MCD also. He said that the BJP was still quite capable of governing and there was no question whatsoever of dissolving the House. He also expressed hope that the Delhi government would continue to support the MCD as earlier.

After Desai8217;s rebuttal, began a session of allegations and counter-allegations among the councillors. Amidst all this, Desai said that the House should condole the death of poet Pradeep and writer Vijender Sanatak. At this point, a Congress councillor said that the House should also condole the demise of the BJP government. While the Congress councillors burst into laughter and started thumping their desks in approval, BJP councillor Madanlal Balmiki responded angrily by stating that today was indeed an auspicious day. 8220;The very day that the new Opposition leader took charge, the House had to condole the deaths of so many eminent people,8221; he remarked.

Putting an end to the leg-pulling session, Mayor Yog Dhyan Ahuja congratulated Rambabu Sharma on being declared the Leader of the Opposition. Later, Desai as well as Municipal Commissioner V.K. Duggal also congratulated Sharma.

Next came noisy scenes when the Mayor refused to allow discussion on a query raised by Congress councillor Jeetender Kochar, who alleged that MCD officials had illegally allotted land to a builder. He said that on October 5, 1972, the government had acquired khasra number 122 in Thooth Sarai in Malviya Nagar. This land was allotted on September 12, 1993, for building a CGHS dispensary. However, he alleged that Gyan Gupta got this land allotted in his name and by showing it as khasra number 122 A, he got the layout approved by the MCD and has even started construction of 50 apartments there.

Kochar had not finished speaking before BJP councillors raised an objection to naming Gyan Gupta. This led to a verbal duel between the councillors. Desai pointed out that short notice inquiries were not discussed in the House, instead answers were demanded from the commissioner. Even as Congress and Janata Dal councillors voiced their protest, the Mayor handed over the matter to the commissioner for an inquiry and asked him to present a report in the next meeting of the house.

Municipal commissioner Duggal however, said that he could not inquire into the matter till Kochar sent all the relevant documents to him and asked him in writing. He said that he would ask the Vigilance Department to look into the matter and assured the House that construction would be stopped till the inquiry was complete.