New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS): BJP leader and Vice-Chairman of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Kuljeet Singh Chahal on Tuesday hit out at AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for ignoring problems of New Delhi's voters, partially, by not taking oath as a member of the civic agency.
Chahal pointed out that despite being the elected MLA of New Delhi in 2020, former Chief Minister Kejriwal has not taken oath as a member of the NDMC yet.
Chahal said, "The people of New Delhi have elected him three times, but Kejriwal has continuously avoided his responsibilities. He has neither raised the issues related to the welfare of NDMC employees, nor taken any concrete steps for their benefit."
Chahal highlighted that under Kejriwal's tenure, the residents of NDMC area have faced several problems related to basic amenities.
"Despite being the MLA of New Delhi, Kejriwal showed no concern for the essential services that should have been provided to the people. For example, there has been no clear resolution for issues like water supply, waterlogging, and pollution, which have deeply affected the public," he said.
He said former Chief Minister Kejriwal attended only 53 per cent of Council meetings during his MLA tenure. “Which reflects his careless and indifferent attitude towards New Delhi and its residents,” he said.
Chahal informed that from 2014 to 2024, a total of 126 NDMC council meetings were held, of which Kejriwal was a member in 122 meetings but participated in only 65.
Kejriwal missed 57 meetings during his 10-year tenure, Chahal said, adding that the former Chief Minister of Delhi was either absent from the meetings or, when he did attend, he left midway.
He further said, "Despite being an NDMC member, Kejriwal’s reluctance to take oath for this position has raised serious concerns among the people of New Delhi. The public has the right to know how dedicated and serious their elected representatives are in serving them."
Chahal stressed that with the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, 4,500 NDMC employees were regularised, ensuring job security for them and their families. However, under Kejriwal's Delhi government, many employees are still waiting for regularisation.
He further claimed that Kejriwal neglected the needs of New Delhi and obstructed the work of the NDMC.
“Important projects, such as the 24x7 water supply initiative, have remained incomplete due to the lack of cooperation from the Delhi government, causing significant inconvenience to the public,” he said.