Govt. has no right to pay our staff: BJP

The State government’s announcement on Monday that it will pay municipal employees’ salaries was termed a political gimmick and an unconstitutional move by the BJP leadership in the civic bodies.

The Aam Aadmi Party-ruled Delhi government and the BJP-led corporations have been locked in a stalemate over the release of funds to the municipalities. The North and East Delhi municipalities have not paid employees for two months.

North Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Ravinder Gupta said: “How can the government pay our employees? They should transfer the funds to us and we will pay the staff. The AAP is trying to reap political benefits.”

The government had called for open dialogue with municipal workers at Ramlila Maidan on Monday, a move that BJP condemned. Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had shown “that he does not care for democratic and administrative norms”.

“The dialogue was just a political gimmick. The Chief Minister has broken all traditions by not inviting the Mayors and the Leaders of Opposition,” said Mr. Upadhyay.

South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Subhash Arya said: “Mr. Kejriwal only made announcements regarding the North and East civic bodies, and even they are not getting the full amount owed to them.”

He added that the corporations were supposed to get the first instalment of the global share of taxes and other grants in April.

“By delaying the payment, the government created a crisis. And now it is trying to fool people by swooping in with a solution. This is all in the backdrop of the 2017 municipal elections,” said Mr. Arya.

Meanwhile, BJP Mayors and councillors held a protest just across the road from Ramlila Maidan. With black headbands and placards demanding the release of dues, the councillors raised slogans against the government.

East Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Harsh Deep Malhotra said by calling the employees of the EDMC and the North Corporation the government was “infringing on the statutory rights of the corporations”.