The three-day session of the Delhi Assembly began on a stormy note on Monday, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators raising the issue of the ongoing sealing drive against properties which are allegedly in violation of municipal norms.
Speaker Ram Niwas Goel adjourned the House for 15 minutes as several AAP MlAs rushed to the Well of the House carrying placards against the BJP-ruled municipal authorities as soon as the proceedings started.
The AAP legislators, who have an overwhelming majority in the 70-member Assembly, kept raising slogans against the BJP even as Goel appealed to them to return to their seats.
After multiple adjournments, when Goel allowed discussion on the issue, BJP MlAs demanded a separate discussion on 351 roads which are to be notified under commercial and mixed-use categories, so that businesses on these stretches were saved from the sealing drive.
The AAP MlAs alleged that businessmen were being “harassed” by the corporations and that there was “huge corruption” involved in the process.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the BJP was “minting money from traders and businessmen” in the city. “The sealing drive is being done by the BJP to make money,” he said.
AAP MlA Alka lamba alleged that the BJP has been collecting conversion charges for the past 10 years but was not issuing receipts to traders. “There is corruption of the tune of Rs 1,000 crore in the collection of conversion charges,” lamba said.
AAP MlA Saurabh Bharadwaj said the Commissioners of the three municipal corporations should be called to the Assembly on Wednesday and asked to give details of the conversion charges collected over 12 years.
Meanwhile, as the BJP MlAs stood firm that there should be discussion on the 351 roads and stalled the House proceedings, the Speaker ordered Gupta and BJP MlA Manjinder Singh Sirsa to be marshalled out of the House. Referring to the disruptions caused by the BJP MlAs, Goel said, “This is murder of democracy and Delhi's residents are watching it.”
BJP MlA and leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta told the media outside the Assembly alleged that the AAP was sitting on files related to notification of roads and held out a poster “AAP, stop drama on sealing drive and notify 351 roads”.
Public Works Department Minister Satyendar Jain had earlier alleged that the changing the status of these 351 roads was pending for “11 years” due to laxity to the municipal corporations. Jain had slammed the municipal corporations for allegedly not submitting documents needed for the notification and had asked them to make a detailed submission by January 22.
If the roads are to be notified under commercial and mixed-use categories, the traders will be able to continue with their businesses on these stretches.
The Monitoring Committee was set up by the Supreme Court in 2006 for sealing the premises of erring businessmen. But in 2012, it asked the committee to stop the drive.
The sealing drive, which started last month, has been undertaken by the BJP-controlled civic bodies on the instruction of a Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee.
More than 50 commercial units in the posh Defence Colony Market were sealed on December 22 for “not depositing” conversions charges as per provisions in the city's Master Plan 2021.
Subsequently, besides South Delhi Municipal Corporation, North Delhi corporation and the New Delhi Municipal Council also sealed several properties in areas falling under their jurisdiction. Action is being also taken against commercial properties for encroachments or illegal constructions.
It may be noted that in December 2017, the Supreme Court ordered resumption of the sealing drive and revived the Monitoring Committee. The AAP had opposed committee’s revival in the Supreme Court and later accused the municipal corporations of corruption in the process.
The sealing drive is being carried out by a Supreme Court-appointed Monitoring Committee against business establishments using residential properties for commercial purposes, and it is being implemented by the three BJP-led Municipal Corporations.
“Action is being taken against business establishments using residential properties for commercial purposes without paying conversion charges,” North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NMC) Spokesperson Yogendra Mann said.
Meanwhile, AAP workers and traders affiliated to the party took out a march against the sealing drive from its headquarters at Rouse Avenue near central Delhi’s ITO around 1 pm.