MCD strike: BJP, AAP throw garbage at each other

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday 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".

Kejriwal, who is undergoing naturopathy treatment in Bengaluru, tweeted:

We have tried to find a solution to ongoing MCD strike. Will announce at 3 pm. Hope it satisfies everyone and the strike ends

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 3, 2016

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.

Read: MCD strike: Workers block major roads in Delhi; dump garbage, set tyres ablaze

Earlier, workers blocked major roads in the capital throwing peak hour traffic out of gear even as the Delhi government suggested that the continuing protests, that have brought the city to its knees, were "political" and instigated by BJP.

Commuters had a harrowing time as traffic came to a standstill in various parts of the city as sanitation workers blocked major thoroughfares such as NH 24 and Vikas Marg among others. They dumped garbage and set tyres ablaze on the roads.

Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, who had yesterday recommended to the AAP government to extend "conditional" loans to the civic bodies, met Home Minister Rajnath Singh at the latter's residence.

Delhi Home Minister Satyender Jain tweeted, "If salaries are paid upto Dec than why strike". The strike entered its eighth day today with Safai Karamchari Sangh, affiliated to Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh of RSS, holding protests outside Jain's residence.

Jain questioned the role of councillors and mayors of the BJP-ruled corporations in the protests. The three civic bodies told the Delhi High Court yesterday that the employees have been paid salaries till December 2015.

"It seems like politics now. If they have indeed paid salaries then why stage such protests? BJP is doing politics and misleading people. What explains the presence of mayors and BJP councillors in the protests otherwise?" Jain asked.

Jain said that "no one" could be sure as to whether the MCD authorities had stated the truth in the court.

The LG has expressed fear that further protests may cause law and order problem in the capital.

The strike has crippled functioning of hospitals and schools run by civic bodies, besides garbage disposal even as the Delhi government continues to insist that it has already released the entire fund to the municipal bodies under non-plan head.

The contractors of NDMC and EDMC have also extended their support to the ongoing strike, threatening they will stop all ongoing works of the two municipal corporations from February 10.