Four BJP councillors suspended for ‘creating ruckus’ in MCD House

BJP councillors staged a protest inside the MCD House, citing “a lack of information about the purpose of the House session.”

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Thursday suspended four BJP councillors, including opposition leader Raja Iqbal, for 15 days for “creating a ruckus” in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House. She said that they were “not ready for discussions on the issues of the people,” news agency PTI reported. The other suspended BJP councillors were Ravi Negi, Yogesh Verma, and Gajendra Singh.

BJP councillors protest inside Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) house on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference following the adjournment of the House, Oberoi said, “ MCD LoP Raja Iqbal Singh since 2-3 sessions, starts creating ruckus even before the session starts and provokes his councillors to create ruckus inside the House...they don't want discussions on the issues of people of Delhi and they raise such issues that have nothing to do with MCD...today, LoP Raja Iqbal Singh, Yogendra Verma, Gajendra Singh and Ravi Negi, these four members have been suspended from the House, they were given warnings several times earlier also.”

Earlier in the day, BJP councillors staged a protest inside the MCD House, citing a lack of information about the purpose of the House session. According to PTI, leader of opposition Raja Iqbal Singh, talked about “counterfeit medicines being distributed in Delhi government hospitals” and called for the arrest of Saurabh Bhardwaj. Their protest involved displaying placards with slogans like “Saurabh Bharadwaj ko jail bhejo,” “House tax mafi yojna laao,” and “kya hua tera wada, pehli tareekh ko salary kaha that.”

In the midst of the chaos, the mayor managed to approve 18 proposals, defer three, and refer back two for further consideration.

The House adjourned shortly after commencement due to disruptions from BJP and Congress councillors, who were seeking answers on various issues including delayed employee salaries, pensions, and house taxes.

A special session convened on Saturday by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) aimed to address concerns about unsealing properties under the civic body's jurisdiction. The opposition members disrupted the session with protests and slogans. Mayor Shelly Oberoi, following the adjournment due to the commotion, warned that councillors engaging in such behaviour “might face severe consequences in the future”.

Oberoi, speaking at a press conference held at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) headquarters on Saturday, highlighted that since her party took charge in the MCD, BJP councillors have consistently obstructed the smooth functioning of the House.