New Delhi [India], September 3 (ANI): Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi on Thursday accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillors of attempting to disrupt the democratic and constitutional election process at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), alleging that they created a ruckus at the venue and behaved indecently with the Presiding Officer.
Wahi said the election for the Ad Hoc Welfare of Scheduled Castes Committee and the committee related to implementation of the Scheduled Caste candidates' quota began at the scheduled time, but AAP councillors allegedly attempted to obstruct the proceedings.
"The election process had started at the scheduled time, but AAP councillors deliberately created a ruckus and behaved indecently with the Presiding Officer," Wahi said.
The Mayor pointed out that the AAP had not nominated any candidate for the election and questioned the rationale behind the councillors' alleged attempt to stop the proceedings.
He said that while political parties and elected representatives have the right to protest and express dissent, creating a disturbance, allegedly misbehaving with the Presiding Officer and attempting to forcibly stop an institutional process cannot be justified as democratic protest.
"Democracy gives everyone the right to dissent and protest, but creating a ruckus, insulting the Presiding Officer and attempting to forcibly stop a constitutional process is not a democratic right," Wahi added.
Wahi further alleged that after disrupting the election proceedings, AAP councillors entered the Mayor's office and damaged property.
He claimed that doors and chairs in the office were damaged and that the councillors got into a pushing and shoving incident with security personnel.
The Mayor said he had attempted to listen to the councillors' concerns and engage with them, but alleged that the situation escalated and he too was subjected to indecent behaviour.
According to Wahi, the alleged incident inside the Mayor's office crossed all limits of institutional decorum.
Wahi also levelled a serious allegation against an AAP councillor, claiming that the councillor attempted to remove his clothes in the presence of the woman Deputy Mayor.
Describing the alleged incident as "shameful" and "condemnable", Wahi said elected representatives are expected to maintain dignity and responsibility inside democratic institutions.
The Mayor said the alleged conduct was particularly serious because it took place inside the MCD and in the presence of a woman elected representative.
Wahi also alleged that the incident demonstrated an attempt to undermine the functioning and dignity of democratic institutions through pressure and disorder.
The Mayor asserted that the MCD functions according to established laws, rules and constitutional procedures and that no political party can disrupt proceedings according to its convenience.
He said that if the AAP had objections to the election process, it could have approached the appropriate legal and constitutional forums instead of allegedly attempting to stop the proceedings through a ruckus.
"If the Aam Aadmi Party had any objection to the election process, constitutional and legal mechanisms were available to it. But not fielding a candidate and then trying to stop the election process by creating a ruckus is not democracy; it is an insult to democracy," Wahi said.
He added that elected representatives should uphold the dignity of the institutions they represent and urged political parties to raise their concerns through established democratic mechanisms. (ANI)
Delhi: AAP councillors disrupted MCD election process, vandalised Mayor’s office, says Pravesh Wahi
