Mayor Dr. Shelly Oberoi suspended Raja Iqbal Singh, former Mayor and Leader of the Opposition in MCD, on Thursday, for creating a ruckus during the MCD house meeting. Alongside the Leader of the Opposition, three BJP councillors were also suspended for 15 days. The Leader of the Opposition criticized the Mayor, alleging that the AAP Mayor is acting arbitrarily and is not concerned with the public’s interests.
Following his suspension, Raja Iqbal Singh stated that they were not informed about the house meeting or its purpose. “When we asked why the house was called today, we were not given any information about this,” said Iqbal Singh.
He further noted that during the House meeting, when they inquired about the de-sealing of shops following the Supreme Court’s Judicial Committee orders, the Mayor had no answer. Singh also pointed out that employees were outside the house, demanding facilities.
Singh stated, “We also demand that Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj resign from his post over the supply of substandard drugs in Delhi government hospitals.” He mentioned that their demand for the arrest of the Delhi health minister angered the mayor, leading to the suspension of Singh, along with Yogendra Verma, Gajendra Singh, and Ravi Negi for 15 days.
Singh emphasized that corporation meetings are being conducted without following rules and regulations, and this will not be tolerated. He highlighted the absence of confirmed minutes from the previous House meeting, demonstrating a disregard for the rules. Additionally, he criticized the lack of proper notice and the scheduling of a half-hour questionnaire in the House meeting.
Mayor Shelly Oberoi countered, stating that Raja Iqbal Singh had been causing disruptions for the past 2-3 sessions, even before they started, inciting his councillors to create chaos. The Mayor accused the BJP councillors of not wanting discussions on Delhi’s public issues and only raising unrelated matters.