Delhi MCD elections: Ruckus erupts again as mayor declares one vote invalid
New Delhi, Feb 24: A fight broke out in the MCD House as BJP and AAP members kicked, punched and pushed one another amid shouting after Mayor Shelly Oberoi declared one vote invalid in the election to a key six-member municipal committee on Friday.
During the ruckus, which forced adjournment of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House proceedings till February 27, a councillor, Ashok Manu, collapsed. He was rushed to a nearby hospital.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Atishi alleged that BJP members got agitated and attacked the Delhi mayor when they sensed their party would lose the election. The mayor had to run out of the House, she said.
"Today is a black day. Mockery of Constitution was done and today, the House saw a black day. We called the BJP councillors and asked them about their demands and we got reelection done but still they attacked me," Oberoi told reporters.
All ballot papers have been torn and reelection of members of the Standing Committee -- the apex decision-making body of the MCD -- will be held again on February 27, the mayor said.
Both the BJP and the AAP blamed each other for the incident that forced the mayor to adjourn the House.
In a video, councillors from both parties were seen hurling water bottles and apples at each other inside the House, while in another, women councillors were seen hitting each other. Some BJP members also flashed posters with slogans such as 'Tanashahi nahin chalegi' and a few councillors were seen with kurtas torn.
Pankaj Luthra, a BJP councillor, alleged that it was AAP's fault that led to the chaos in the House.
The election process for the six members of the Standing Committee began at around 11 am and concluded at 2:30 pm. The counting began 10 minutes later and went on for over two hours.
Mayor Oberoi then told members that one vote is invalid and result will be declared without it, a move that was strongly opposed by BJP members.
The mayor's decision led to the House falling into chaos as councillors from the BJP and the AAP started shouting and pushing one another.
"When you lost the elections, you started attacking our mayor. The whole nation is watching this attitude and action of the BJP. They tore ballot papers and we did re-election but when they lost, they attacked," Atishi told PTI.
She alleged that men BJP councillors attacked Oberoi outside the House as well, adding that the party will take legal action against those involved.
AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj said, "What we witnessed today is just not imaginable. As soon as the mayor started announcing the results, BJP councillors started attacking our mayor and the civil defence staff."
"She somehow escaped and one of the civil defence personnel showed her hand which had bite marks. The way they attacked our mayor, we will take legal action," he said.
Booth capturing cannot be imagined in Delhi, the AAP leader said.
BJP councillor Shika Rai alleged that Oberoi declared the vote invalid and AAP councillors started abusing BJP members. "I agree what happened is not acceptable but we did it in self defence," Rai told PTI.
After the voting, the officers from the election commission made a sheet and gave it to the mayor but when the mayor saw that the seats have been won by the BJP, one of the poll agents of the AAP took out a vote and said it is invalid, she alleged.
This had happened when the election commission officer left the House, Rai alleged.
The Standing Committee has powers to grant financial approval to projects, set up sub committees on several issues and finalise policies.
A mayor's powers are only limited to call meetings of the MCD House and disqualify members if they do not furnish details of their assets.
The MCD House had also witnessed ruckus on Wednesday night with members of the BJP and the AAP on exchanged blows and hurled plastic bottles at each other.
A few BJP members had claimed that some of their fellow party councillors got hit with objects flung in the air, while Oberoi had alleged that some BJP councillors tried to attack her during the proceedings to hold the election to pick the six members of the Standing Committee.
#WATCH | Ruckus breaks out at Delhi Civic Centre once again as AAP and BJP Councillors jostle, manhandle and rain blows on each other. This is the third day of commotions in the House. pic.twitter.com/Sfjz0osOSk
— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2023
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Bengaluru woman murder: Karnataka Home Minister Parameshwara vows to nab culprits soon
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday vowed to apprehend those responsible for the gruesome murder of a 29-year-old woman here, as soon as possible.
Mahalakshmi's body was found chopped into over 50 pieces and stuffed into a refrigerator in her flat at Vyalikaval in the city.
Addressing reporters, Parameshwara said, "Aready some information has been collected, which I cannot reveal now, but we will soon nab those involved in it."
"... an individual -- they say is the one (involved), but unless we have more information, we can't really confirm. He is from West Bengal, they say. As early as possible we will secure (those involved)."
The maggot-infested body of Mahalakshmi was discovered by her mother and elder sister at her home on Saturday.
Responding to a question about reports that one person was already taken into custody in connection with the case, the Home Minister said, "police bring in suspects and inquire them. If somebody confesses (to the crime), then they will be taken into custody."
The deceased woman's estranged husband has expressed suspicion about a man known to her.
To another query on women's safety, the Minister said already a lot of precautions and measures are being taken for the safety of women in Bengaluru.
"In fact the Nirbhaya programme is implemented, and we are doing several things... definitely we are very careful about it and we take a lot of precautions. We have installed CCTVs at the place where a lot of women visit.
We have taken steps, but still we don't know how to term these (incidents), whether we call it domestic or whether we call it something else. We have already alerted all the police stations to be extra careful about women safety....we need to put more effort on this, and we will do it," he said.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda said the suspect has been identified and he is an outsider.
“So far as Vyalikaval case (Mahalakshmi murder case) is concerned, we are investigating from all the angles. The prime suspect who is likely to have committed this ghastly offence is identified. The only thing is we are yet to apprehend him. As and when the person is caught and the interrogation is done, then we will be able to provide further details,” Dayananda told media here.
According to police sources, several investigation teams have been formed to trace the culprits. Some teams have fanned out to various parts of India to arrest those involved in the crime.
The victim’s family demanded justice for her.
“The owner of the building informed me that there was foul smell coming from the house. When I came and opened the door I saw the body of Mahalakshmi cut into pieces. I saw her for the last time on Rakshabandhana festival. Since then her phone was switched off,” Mahalakshmi's mother Meena Rana told reporters.
Seeking punishment for the accused, the victim's elder sister said, “Who cuts a woman into pieces like this? I saw her a year ago. Now I saw her in pieces.”
