New Delhi, Apr 6 (IANS): The Delhi High Court, while dismissing a plea by North Delhi Municipal Corporation to extend the time to clear arrears of the staff, lashed out at the city government and asked if it is not criminal to spend money on propaganda through full-page advertisement in the newspapers while salaries are pending.
"There are full-page advertisements every day in newspapers with pictures of politicians. We have seen those and you would have as well. Spending money in these times on propaganda, is this not criminal? You will gain more goodwill by ensuring payment of salaries to employees," a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Pall said.
Responding to the court's order, city BJP MP Gautam Gambhir said: "The court has only reiterated what I have been saying since day one that Arvind Kejriwal is scamming the people with his ad campaigns."
"Spending crores on publicity during a time of pandemic when there is shortage of revenue, when salaries of thousands of MCD workers have not been paid, is nothing but criminal. It is shameful."
Alluding to a recent RTI which revealed that no new school or hospital has been set up in Delhi in the past six years, Gambhir said: "But loads and loads of money are being spent for the promotion of one man who had claimed to be a crusader against corruption. This is the biggest corruption happening in Delhi."
The bench, during hearing on April 5, further said that it is the fundamental right of employees to get their salaries and pension. "The right to get salaries and pension is a part of right to life and liberty under the Constitution of India," the court said.
On March 9, the bench had directed East, North and South Municipal Corporations of Delhi to clear all the arrears of pensions and salaries of all the ex-employees and serving staff on or before April 5. On the final day, North Delhi Municipal Corporation sought extension of time.
The bench said that non-availability of funds is no ground to not pay salaries and pension on time. "It is for the corporation to find ways and means to pay its employees," the court said and listed the matter for hearing on April 27.
The High Court was hearing a plea against non-payement of salaries to the doctors of the Kasturba Gandhi Hospital since March. The PIL was initiated by it on the basis of news report that doctors have threatened to resign.