AAP takes on BJP after HC slams civic bodies

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday took a dig at the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) over the Delhi high court’s criticism of the three municipal corporations a day earlier over improper garbage disposal in the national capital. The ruling party said the high court had in the past too lashed out at the three corporations which are under the control of the BJP for the last ten years, for not keeping the city clean.

AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj said: “It’s the MCDs’ job to keep the city clean and not the Delhi government’s. And in the last 10 years, they have turned Delhi into a dustbin.”

The AAP also took a swipe at Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and asked him “when he will bring funds from the Centre to clean Delhi as promised during the run-up to the civic body elections on April 23.”

AAP leader Dilip Pandey said that Mr Tiwari had promised to clean Delhi within 120 days of his party’s return to power in the civic bodies. “I want to ask BJP: 60 days have passed and is even half of Delhi clean? We don’t think so,” the AAP leader said.

As for Central funds, Mr Pandey said: “We opposed it back then and said it’s not possible. But he thought since their party is in power at the Centre, they can do it. So, when are you going to get the money?” The high court had on Wednesday termed as an “eyewash” the civic bodies’ claims on garbage disposal in Delhi. Ordering action against erring officials, the High Court said: “This is callous disregard of the rights of the citizens.”