Modi govt wants President’s Rule in Delhi, alleges Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the ongoing strike by civic body workers in the national capital. He alleged that the Modi government wanted “to impose President’s rule in Delhi like Arunachal Pradesh.”

Demanding a probe into the embezzlement of money paid to the MCD, Kejriwal said, “I have gone through each and every figure, and thus, can say with confidence that the Delhi Government doesn’t have to pay even a penny to the MCD. There is a ‘big scam’ in the MCD, which needs to be investigated.”

“North MCD was given around Rs. 900 crore this year, which was almost double than the previous years. Where has the money gone?” he asked.

Kejriwal demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter. “I understand the pain of MCD workers, who did not get their salaries, but what about BJP people who are spreading garbage on streets?” he asked and accused the MCD of lying before the court that the money allotted to them has been stolen.

“If the workers were paid their salaries till December, why did they go on strike on January 27 when there is no payment due,” added Kejriwal.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal had tweeted that a “solution” to the ongoing MCD strike would be announced, and hoped that it would “satisfy” everyone, eventually bringing the agitation to an “end”.

“We have tried to find a solution to ongoing MCD strike. Will announce at 3 PM. Hope it satisfies everyone and the strike ends,” Kejriwal, who is undergoing naturopathy treatment in Bengaluru, tweeted.

Reacting to Kejriwal’s announcement, the leaders of the workers’ bodies said that they were “not hopeful” that the CM will come out with any permanent solution to the salary crisis of the civic bodies.

“It is not just a question of one or two months’ salary. We want a permanent solution. He is talking about solution from Bengaluru but we will not believe his words unless we receive our salaries,” Sanjay Gehlot of Swatantra Mazdoor Vikas Sanyukta Morcha, which is leading the sanitation workers’ strike, said