For the second time in recent weeks, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House witnessed complete pandemonium, leading to its adjournment within a mere 35 minutes on Friday. The scheduled discussions on pressing civic issues were entirely derailed as councillors from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and the Congress engaged in intense sloganeering and protests, bringing all proceedings to a standstill.
Chaos Erupts Over Doctored Video and Demolition Drive
The session descended into chaos soon after it began. BJP councillors launched protests targeting AAP's Atishi, the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, accusing her of insulting a Sikh Guru. In retaliation, AAP councillors entered the well of the House, raising slogans of "BJP sharam karo" (BJP, be ashamed) and "Kapil Mishra istifa do" (Kapil Mishra, resign). They alleged that BJP leader Kapil Mishra was responsible for circulating a doctored video.
Amid the uproar, Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh managed to pass a few items on the agenda before adjourning the House for ten minutes. However, the brief pause failed to calm tensions, and disruptions resumed as soon as the House reconvened.
Congress Escalates Protest Over Turkman Gate Demolition
The situation intensified when Congress councillors demanded an immediate discussion on the ongoing demolition drive near the Faiz-e-Illahi Masjid in Turkman Gate. They condemned the action as "haphazard" and claimed it was carried out without consulting local residents. Mayor Singh declined the request for an immediate debate, stating that issues could not be taken up "randomly."
This response triggered a strong objection from Congress councillor Ariba Khan, who had raised the issue. She took exception to the Mayor's language, calling it inappropriate and unconstitutional. In a dramatic move, Khan climbed onto the mayor's dais, demanding an apology and continuing her protest.
"As soon as I raised the issue of demolition near the mosque, the mayor said, ‘aise bhed-bakriyon ki tarah baat nahi hoti, mai LoP ko address karunga'. We are elected councillors representing people, and comparing us to animals and trivialising our concerns are completely unacceptable," Khan stated.
Mayor's Apology and Subsequent Justification
Facing the backlash, Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh apologised on the floor of the House, saying he took his words back and his only intention was to ensure a serious debate on public issues. However, at a later press conference, he clarified that action against illegal construction and encroachment would continue as per court directives.
The Mayor accused opposition councillors of deliberately creating disorder to evade accountability. "A condemnation resolution was to be read out against the insult to Sikh Gurus by AAP's Atishi, and a discussion was proposed on the growing problem of illegal parking since AAP took over the corporation. To divert attention, AAP councillors created chaos. We will not hesitate to lodge FIRs if required," he asserted.
Senior Congress councillor Naziya Danish countered the Mayor's claims, arguing that illegal construction continues unchecked across Delhi. Meanwhile, AAP councillors demanded the Mayor's resignation, calling his remarks against a woman councillor "unacceptable."
AAP councillor and Leader of Opposition in the MCD House, Ankush Narang, said, "On the one hand, BJP gives slogans like ‘beti bachao, beti padhao', while on the other, their mayor — the first citizen of Delhi — refers to women councillors as ‘sheep and goats'. This is shameful. The dignity of the mayor's office must be upheld — not just in Delhi, but before the entire country that watches MCD proceedings."
The repeated adjournments highlight the deepening political fissures within the civic body, raising serious concerns about the effective functioning of Delhi's municipal administration and its ability to address critical urban issues.
