AAP takes out protest marches over MCD ‘scam’    

NEW DELHI:  The Aam Aadmi Party took out protest marches in all the 272 wards of Delhi on Tuesday against the alleged Rs 2,500 crore scam by the BJP-ruled municipal corporations.

The AAP claimed more than 20,000 party volunteers and citizens took part in these rallies, adding that its workers would conduct door-to-campaign to enlighten people about the alleged misappropriation of Rs 2,500 crores in the civic bodies.

“The AAP is turning this case of Rs 2,500-crore misappropriation into a mass movement,” party leader Durgesh Pathak said.

Addressing a press conference, Pathak said a recent court order regarding the clearance of pending salaries of municipal corporation employees had no mention of the “imaginary” Rs 13,000 crore that the BJP claims the Delhi government has to pay to the municipal corporations. 

The civic bodies have not placed their claim of Rs 13,000 crore in front of the court, but the Kejriwal government had clearly mentioned in its affidavit that it had released every requisite money, Pathak said.

The AAP leader claimed that the BJP was lying to the people to defame the Delhi govt and divert the attention from the Rs 2,500 crore scam. “I want to request the BJP leadership to stop this dirty politics to defame the Kejriwal government. 

Whenever the opposition raises the question on the matters of corruption, they (BJP) talks about an imaginary fund which is not released by the Delhi government. ”
 Meanwhile, Urban Development minister Satyendar Jain alleged that the civic bodies have denied to furnish details of their income and expenditure.

 According to the minister, his department has asked for details regarding the funds received by the three MCDs in last one month, and their expenditure under various heads, including salaries and contractors payments, said the minister. 

“However, the MCDs have only shared details regarding the total funds received and spent by them, but are refusing to give details of money used under different budget heads. It is a  clear indication that the BJP is trying to ‘hide’ their accounts due to some misappropriation,” Jain charged.