Delhi Mayor Mahesh Kumar on Friday wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding the removal of Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Kumar. He accused Kumar of imposing additional user charges on property taxpayers without consulting the house.
During a press conference, Saurabh Bhardwaj, the Delhi president of AAP, and Mayor Mahesh Kumar Khinchi accused the Municipal Commissioner of working under BJP’s influence, describing the newly imposed tax as thoroughly unfair. Meanwhile, MCD Commissioner Ashwini Kumar dismissed these allegations as baseless.
Saurabh Bhardwaj noted that provisions for some financial relief amid rising prices were part of the MCD budget passed by the mayor. For example, a proposal was passed to exempt homes up to 100 square yards from property tax, but the commissioner has failed to implement it. Despite budget provisions to regularize nearly 12,000 contractual workers, no action has been taken to date.
AAP's Allegations
Saurabh Bhardwaj stated that arbitrary user charges were imposed without the mayor or the house's consent. Despite the mayor's opposition, these were not revoked. On Thursday, a letter was sent to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to revoke these additional charges, and on Friday, another letter was sent to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding Ashwini Kumar's removal. He further stated that if BJP is not involved, the commissioner should be immediately suspended and replaced by a fair officer.
