AAP terms notification of LG including Cong Councillor Nazia as member of Haj Committee ‘illegal’, Danish reacts
The announcement of members of the Delhi Haj Committee that included a Congress Councillor from Zakir Nagar by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Friday led to the local AAP onslaught on Okhla Congress with AAP members taking out rally in the locality.
The AAP was quick to call it a nexus between BJP and Congress ahead of the mayoral election of the MCD. However, Congress leader Shoaib Danish of Zakir Nagar, who was at the centre of the controversy as his Councillor wife Nazia Danish name was there, rubbished the charges thrown at him by AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan. Also, in a video interview to the OT, he said he would send defamation notices to AAP leader for tarnishing his image. Under intense pressure, he even did FB live from outside his house late night in bone-chilling cold, doing his best to clear the air.
On the other hand, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the notification “illegal” and said neither government was consulted nor a proper process was followed.
The Haj Committee members include BJP MP Gautam Gambhir, two Aam Aadmi Party MLAs – Abdul Rehman and Haji Yunus, Congress Councillor Naziya Danish, Muslim theology expert Mohammad Saad and Kausar Jahan as a member from Muslim voluntary organisations, according to a PTI report.
The BJP said all required processes were followed by the LG.
On social media too, many AAP Okhla leaders targeted the Congress and in particular Danish. Besides, the Congress was attacked for not being present in the House during voting on Friday. Danish said it was a decision taken by the top leaders of the party.
“The LG stole Delhi Government’s right to appoint Haj Committee members and nominated a new committee without consulting the elected government. Such practice of directly issuing directions to officers and getting notifications done is illegal and unconstitutional,” said Kejriwal.
Sources at LG office refuted the allegation, saying proper procedure was followed and Naziya was not made chairman of the committee.
AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj, earlier in the day said that Congress leader of the House in MCD Naziya Danish strikes a deal with BJP.
“The deal of Congress and BJP has been exposed. The best case scenario for BJP was to make Congress walk out of the House. And Congress has agreed to that. In return, the BJP has made MCD Congress leader Naziya a member of Haj Committee,” tweeted Bhardwaj.
The first meeting of the newly elected MCD House was adjourned without electing the mayor and the deputy mayor amid protests.
Kejriwal wrote a strongly worded letter to the Delhi LG over his blatant misuse of powers on Friday.
The CM expressed deep concern over the impending MCD crisis as well. Imploring the LG to not play with the democratic system of Delhi, Kejriwal tweeted: “Please allow the elected government to fulfil dreams of 2 crore Delhiites; let’s respect the Constitution & strengthen democracy.”
Through his letter the CM stated: “The LG is directly issuing orders on practically every subject irrespective of whether it is reserved or transferred. The Elected government is supposed to nominate MCD Aldermen; shocking and saddening how LG dictated his pickings without consulting the government. The tradition of appointing senior most councillor as presiding officer was thrown to the winds; the elected government’s power of appointing as the presiding officer was infringed by LG.
“The LG stole Delhi Government’s right to appoint Haj Committee members and nominated a new committee without consulting the elected government. Such practice of directly issuing directions to officers and getting notifications done is illegal and unconstitutional.”
The letter further details how the LG and the CS are together running a parallel government and issuing orders and publishing notifications by bypassing the elected government. In a separate tweet, the CM also raised the matter of how the Article 243R of the Constitution clearly debars nominated members from voting in the House and attempts to get them to vote in the House is unconstitutional.
