Clash between AAP and BJP members stalls Mayor election
New Delhi: The maiden meeting of the newly elected Municipal Corporation of Delhi House on Friday was adjourned till further notification without electing the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor after councillors of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) came to blows inside the House.
As presiding officer Satya Sharma called Alderman Manoj for oath-taking, the House descended into chaos as the AAP councillors entered the well opposing the officer’s decision. Only four Aldermen, nominated by Lieutenant General Vinai Kumar Saxena, were able to take their oaths.
The AAP members protested against the administration of oaths to the alderman instead of the elected representatives first.
AAP broke the BJP’s 15-year-long rule in MCD on December 4. The house further saw extreme disruption and councillors from both parties gathered around the podium structure chanting slogans against each other. AAP leaders were seen shouting slogans and holding posters stating “BJP Chor Hai’’, countering this BJP councillors were heard screaming “Shapath Lene Do Kejriwal”.
According to Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials, it was for the first time in the history of the civic body that a newly elected House failed to elect a mayor and deputy mayor in its maiden meeting.
The Friday proceeding began at 11 am and was immediately disrupted by the clashes between AAP and BJP. Soon after, councillors were found fighting, sloganeering and clashing. As the altercations continued the presiding officer Satya Sharma, MCD Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, and Municipal Secretary left House Chambers around 12.30 pm. The House was adjourned for an hour as councillors from AAP and BJP scattered across the MCD Headquarters - Civic Centre continuing their sloganeering.
Senior Leaders from AAP such as Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj and Sanjay Singh were present amidst the commotion. Similarly, senior BJP leaders - Manoj Tiwari, Meenakshi Lekhi, Ramesh Bidhuri Singh and Parvesh Verma were present to vote for the Mayor.
AAP Leader Sanjay Singh alleged that BJP councillors started getting physically aggressive and hurt AAP councillor Praveen Kumar from Madanpur Khadar East, Singh added that they even tore his clothes. Additionally, Singh alleged that Congress and BJP leaders have joined to make Congress councillor Naziya Danish from Zakir Nagar to make her the chair of the Haj Committee through the L-G and create a ruckus in the House. AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj said that the BJP needs to work according to laws and rules set in place for the proceedings of the House and not try to disobey them.
LoP Ramesh Bidhuri countering AAP’s comments stated, “CM Kejriwal has not taught his councillors the right behaviour. They are scared of mayoral elections. How does it matter who gets the oath first, Aldermen or elected councillors?”. He further said, “This is anarchy. They are disrupting the house. They should have allowed the councillors to take the oath. They are scared that councillors that they have bought will leave them.”
Despite the one-hour break, the sloganeering from both sides did not end, however, it escalated into further physical altercations and brawls.
Councillors from both sides crowded the well area and continued to scream against each other. As per allegations made by the BJP, AAP councillors were ‘drunk’ and abusive towards women from their side. They added that AAP leaders were carrying sharp blade-like objects that they used to hurt BJP leaders. Among several councillors, Arjun Singh Marwah, a first-time councillor from BJP said that while we were protesting, several AAP leaders crowded around me and used a blade-like object to hurt my hand. I was bleeding and used my handkerchief to cover it. He added that he will take necessary action against AAP councillors. BJP leader and MP Manoj Tiwari also asked BJP to file an FIR against AAP councillors who physically hurt BJP councillors including women councillors whose suits were torn. AAP councillor Prem Chauhan said that none of this was planned and AAP was only fighting for its mandate as the elected councillors should have been sworn in first.
Amidst chairs being thrown, mics broken, physical altercations and sloganeering, the house was once again adjourned until further notifications. Presiding officer Satya Sharma explained that the municipal secretary and MCD commissioner have informed the L-G office of the incidents in the MCD House. L-G to take further decisions on the further proceedings of the House now. But the four Aldermen that have already been sworn in will be valid. There has been no official remark from the L-G house on how the MCD House will proceed now.
