New Delhi: Accusing Chief Minister Sheila
Dikshit of "systematically" weakening MCD, BJP on Wedesday said it
was exploring legal options to challenge various decisions of
the Delhi government in taking away "constitutional powers" of
the party-ruled civic body.
The move has been provoked by Delhi government`s decision
to appoint a committee to examine division of MCD into a
number of "workable units" to enhance its performance.
"Dikshit has been systematically trying to weaken the MCD
for last few years. The government has unconstitutionally
taken over various functions of the MCD. We are now exploring
legal options to challenge such decisions," BJP leader V K
Malhotra said.
In a politically sensitive move, the Delhi Government,
which has been critical of MCD`s functioning under the BJP,
had on Monday set up a high-powered committee to examine
possible division of the civic body to overcome the hassles
coming in the way of proper delivery of services by it.
When reminded about BJP favouring trifurcation of MCD in
its election manifesto during the assembly polls in 2008,
Malhotra said the Congress government`s move to divide the
civic body was aimed at gaining political mileage only.
"Why the Government has come up with the idea when MCD
elections are due in one year`s time. The move smacks of
suspicion," he said adding that if government returns all the
powers it had taken over from the body in the last few years,
then the party was ready to examine the proposal.
The government had last year taken over the slum
department as well as maintenance of 29 industrial estates in
the city from MCD. On Monday, government had handed over
maintenance of all streetlights across the city to private
power distribution companies from the corporation.
The Centre in the year 2009 had transferred some of the
powers of MCD to the Delhi government following persistent
demand by Delhi Cabinet.
Malhotra, who is among the two BJP representatives
appointed by the government in the five-member committee to
examine division of the MCD, said his permission was not taken
by the government before naming him as a member of the panel.
"The party will take an appropriate decision on whether
BJP will cooperate with the committee or not," he said.
The BJP leader said powers of MCD have been taken over by
Delhi government "unconstitutionally" as the Delhi Municipal
Corporation (DMC) Act, 1957, had given those powers to the
civic body.
PTI
