The BJP-led North Delhi Municipal Corporation is gearing up to take the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi Government to court over release of funds.
The North Corporation, which has been undergoing a financial crisis for months, on Monday passed a resolution condemning the “negative” attitude of the State government.
At a special meeting of the House on Monday, Mayor Ravinder Gupta directed the Commissioner to take the government to court.
“We will be filing a case before June 15. We are not asking for anything extra. The government owes us Rs. 1,866 crore in total over the years,” said Mr. Gupta.
The civic body has been unable to pay salaries for three months and pensions for a year.
The BJP leadership claims that the Delhi Government is responsible for the financial crisis as it has reduced certain grants and delayed payments.
Leader of the House Yogender Chandolia said: “The Delhi Government has been trying to undermine and weaken the Corporation.”
The municipal leaders have met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia recently, and councillors of the three Corporations even held a protest outside the Delhi Secretariat.
But, the BJP leaders said there has been no progress.
In the past three months, sanitation workers have gone on strike, dumping garbage on the streets as a protest against delayed salaries, and doctors in municipal hospitals have held a two-hour symbolic protest.
“If garbage piles up on the streets of Delhi, it will be the Chief Minister’s fault,” said Mr. Gupta.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress chose to oppose the BJP’s resolution. Leader of the Opposition Mukesh Goel: “We condemn both the Delhi Government and the BJP-led Centre, which was indirectly in charge in Delhi through the Lieutenant-Governor. We will only support the resolution if it is against both.”
The South and East Delhi civic bodies are expected to pass similar resolutions this week.
The civic body said
that the Delhi government owed it a sum of Rs. 1,866 crore
