A ruckus broke out at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House chaos on Thursday as opposition councillors staged a protest and raised slogans alleging the ruling AAP of sheltering Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants.
The session, scheduled to begin at 2 pm, was yet to start as Mayor Mahesh Khichi had not arrived by 3 pm, further escalating tensions. BJP and Congress councillors stormed into the well of the House, climbed atop benches, and held placards with slogans targeting the Aam Aadmi Party.
Some placards read, "Illegal Rohingyas and Bangladeshi immigrants are AAP's friends" and "Liar Kejriwal, shame on you." Slogans like "Mayor Shahab time pe aao" and "nahi chalega, aise house nahi chalega" echoed in the hall.
The house was also adjourned for about 10 minutes even as the opposition councillors criticised the mayor's absence and demanded an apology before allowing the House to proceed.
In response, AAP councillors raised slogans like "Baba Saheb ka apmaan nahi sahenge" and "Jai Bhim," targeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent statement in Parliament on the country's first law minister. The ruling party members accused the BJP of undermining the legacy of B R Ambedkar.
The Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants issue has been a flashpoint between the ruling AAP and the opposition BJP in Delhi. Leaders from both parties have traded allegations, accusing each other of settling illegal immigrants and including them in voter lists for electoral gains.
While the proposal of doubling the parking fees was referred back, the house approved a proposal to release Rs 25.35 crore to begin preparations for the polls ahead of the assembly elections.
This includes setting up booths, ensuring proper electricity and lighting arrangements, and providing toilets, drinking water and other essential facilities at over 2,500 locations across the city. A proposal in this regard, marked under urgent business, was passed in the MCD House to release the expenditure required for this as a priority payment.
"In compliance with directions from the Election Commission of India and the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi to ensure smooth conduct of the General Elections to the Delhi Legislative Assembly, scheduled for January/February 2025, assured minimum facilities are required to be maintained," the proposal read.
According to the passed proposal, the MCD is tasked with setting up approximately 13,033 polling booths at around 2,538 locations within its jurisdiction.
The total estimated expenditure for these arrangements is expected to be around Rs 25.35 crore, with each of the polling booth allocated a budget of Rs 19,450.
In addition to setting up polling stations, the MCD is responsible for ensuring provisions for ramps to facilitate PwD (Persons with Disabilities) voters and senior citizens.It will also establish model/pink polling booths in each assembly constituency as well as one PwD polling station and one youth polling station in each district. Additional attractive features will be added to polling stations based on the local culture and specific requirements. The other provisions include setting up shaded waiting areas with seating arrangements for those accompanying voters as well as crèche facilities for the children who accompany electors.
The house also approved the construction of a bridge over Chirag Delhi drain connecting Chirag Delhi Village to Sheikh Sarai while referring back the doubling of parking fees proposal.
