Massive chaos ensued in the chamber of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House on Wednesday as several BJP and AAP councillors clashed with each other, hurled plastic bottles and continued to raise slogans on the day when Delhi got its new mayor. The MCD House was adjourned for the day on Thursday amid the ruckus.
A video shared by news agency ANI showed chaotic scenes inside the House. While some councillors can be seen throwing ballot boxes in the well, some could be seen pushing others while some exchanged blows.
Around 10.20 pm, BJP councillor Shikha Rai and several of her party councillors climbed onto the dias while the mayor was still in the chair, following which Oberoi adjourned the House.
BJP members reportedly started chanting, "tanashahi nahi chalegi" (dictatorship will not be allowed). A group of BJP members trooped to the Well of the House, chanting, 'Ek sadan mey do kanoon, nahin chalenge'. Chant of 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' also reverberated in the House.
Why did the chaos happen in the MCD House?#WATCH | Delhi: Ruckus and sloganeering continue at MCD house as AAP-BJP councillors clash with each other after the house proceedings resumed for the fourth time. The MCD house was again adjourned for the fifth time since last night. pic.twitter.com/O6MO2cOgs1
— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2023
The ruckus happened around 11 pm during the election for the members of the standing committee. The BJP alleged that during the secret voting, the councillors were taking photographs of the ballots through their mobile, which is a violation of the secret ballot.
Mobile phones and pens were not permitted during the proceedings of the election for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor. The BJP members were opposing the decision to allow it later.
#WATCH | Delhi: Proceedings of the MCD house adjourned again for an hour amid sloganeering in the house. pic.twitter.com/MkaRKfKAqL
— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2023
Following this, the BJP demanded the votes cast be rejected and fresh elections conducted.
Newly-elected Mayor Shelly Oberoi alleged that some BJP councillors tried to attack her during the proceedings to hold the election to pick the six members of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal reacted to Oberoi's allegation and said its "absolutely shocking and unacceptable".
A few BJP members also claimed that some of their party councillors got hit with objects flung in the air. Raja Iqbal Singh, former North Delhi mayor, was quoted by PTI as saying, "I got hit in the back with a bottle, and there were apples and other things being flung around in the air during the commotion. It was unimaginable."
The mayor then announced that "people who don't maintain order in the House, will be thrown out". She added that those creating the ruckus will be identified after analysing the CCTV footage and the culprits will have to pay the price of the damage in the House.
#WATCH | Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi adjourns the proceedings of the MCD house till 10 am tomorrow following a ruckus inside MCD house over the election of member of the standing committee pic.twitter.com/iEEwtJrfZn
— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2023
The proceedings during the exercise to hold the election of six members of the MCD panel were adjourned nine times, the ninth one being at about 11:35 pm.
AAP -BJP war of words
The Delhi BJP demanded fresh voting for elections of the MCD standing committee members alleging irregularities by the AAP. Meanwhile, the AAP accused the BJP of resorting to “hooliganism” as it was unable to digest its defeat in the MCD mayoral polls.
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj had earlier hit out at the BJP saying, "BJP councillors are trying to postpone the standing committee polls. The Supreme Court had clearly said that all elections should happen in the first sitting. So, we want the elections today only, whether it happens at night or in the morning."
BJP councillor Shikha Rai alleged, "We have been asking them to hold the election afresh since the mobile phone was taken to the booth area earlier by members as the mayor had allowed it. Later, when she disallowed it after we protested, we had asked for starting the process afresh, but the mayor was adamant."
The House proceedings began around 11:30 am and business was conducted smoothly as AAP's Oberoi emerged victorious in the mayoral poll, defeating BJP's Rekha Gupta by a margin of 34 votes.
After the mayoral election, the House was briefly adjourned and then it resumed to elect the deputy mayor, again AAP's Aaley Mohammed Iqbal winning the election. The Standing Committee members' election was held over an hour after the deputy mayor was elected.
(With inputs from agencies)
First Published: Feb 23, 2023 10:20 AM IST
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