The East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) has cleared a proposal seeking termination of suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain’s membership. Hussain is currently in jail for his alleged involvement in the February Delhi riots. Delhi Police has named Hussain as one of the prime conspirators of the riots that left 53 people dead and around 400 injured.
Hussain, who is accused of Delhi riots and the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma, was the elected Councillor from Municipal Corporation Ward No-59E, Nehru Vihar. In the beginning of its meeting which was held on August 26, the EDMC had mentioned Councillor Tahir Hussain’s termination to be one of the key agendas to be taken up for discussion among other things. The EDMC on Wednesday passed a resolution which quoted Section 33 (2) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act to terminate Hussain’s membership.
According to Section 33 (2) of the DMC Act, if a councillor is absent from meetings of the corporation for three successive months, without its permission, the seat can be declared vacant. Tahir Hussain was found absent in all meetings of the EDMC without any intimation during the period January 2020- July 2020 (meeting remained suspended during March 2020-May 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic).
The BJP had sought termination of Hussain’s Councillorship based on moral grounds and his role in Delhi riots. Senior Delhi BJP leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor had written to the East Delhi Mayor Nirmal Jain on August 11, asking him to do the same accusing Hussain of failure in discharging his duties.
Kapoor in his letter, argued, “People like Tahir Hussain have no moral right to continue as a Municipal Councillor after being a part of riot spreading team. Delhi Municipal Corporation Act too says only people of good conduct be members. I, therefore, request you to please consider terminating East DMC membership of Tahir Hussain.”
“The anti-Hindu riots that North-East Delhi witnessed during February 23 – 26, 2020, was majorly successful due to Tahir Hussain›s support. Hussain had also accepted his participation in planning and execution of these riots in his confession statement to the police. He had mentioned that he received help from extremist Islamic group Popular Front of India (PFI) in planning and arranging funds. Hussain is also linked with the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma and is the main accused in the case.”
Manoj Tiwari, MP from North-East Delhi and former president of Delhi BJP, said, “It is now known that the mastermind behind Delhi riots of February was Tahir Hussain, hence, his Councillorship has also been cancelled. The kind of planning and execution even with respect to arms and ammunitions that was carried out during the riots, was clearly not a single day›s plan, hence, I request the LG of Delhi to kindly bring into limelight the call list of Tahir Hussain so that it is known who all were linked to this.”
Delhi Police has said they found petrol bombs and explosives from the terrace of his house in Chand Bagh in Northeast Delhi. A Delhi court took cognisance last week of a charge sheet filed against him and is due to start his trial.