AAP Demands MCD Commissioner's Removal Over Imposition Of Additional User Charges

Delhi Mayor requests the removal of MCD Commissioner for imposing additional property-tax charges without House consultation, accusing him of working for BJP.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj.

Source : x@AamAadmiParty

Delhi Mayor Mahesh Kumar wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, seeking the removal of MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar over additional user charges on property-tax payers without consulting the elected House.

Addressing a press conference here, Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj, flanked by the mayor, accused the commissioner of working at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said the additional tax burden on people is unjustified.

No immediate reaction was available from the commissioner on the allegations.

"The MCD budget passed by the mayor had provisions to give some relief to people amid rising prices. For instance, a proposal was passed to exempt houses measuring up to 100 square yards from the property tax. But the commissioner has failed to implement it," Bharadwaj said.

He further alleged that despite budgetary provisions for regularising around 12,000 contractual employees, no action has so far been taken.

"Without the approval of the mayor or the House, user charges have been imposed arbitrarily. Even after the mayor intervened and objected, nothing was stopped. A letter was written to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday for the withdrawal of the additional user charges. On Friday, the mayor wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding Ashwani Kumar's removal," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said.

"If the BJP is not involved in this, then the commissioner should be suspended immediately and replaced with an impartial officer," he added.

The AAP leaders said if no action is taken, the councillors of the party would be forced to carry out developmental work in their wards independently.

The mayor also echoed similar concerns during the press briefing.

"These charges are an extra burden on the people of Delhi, who are already struggling with inflation," he said.

The BJP should have worked to minimise taxes but instead, it is increasing the tax burden on people, who are now regretting bringing it to power, he claimed.

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)