AAP Councillors protest powerfully against BJP Mayor, demand immediate rollback of User Charges

In yet another example of the BJP’s blatant disregard for Delhiites’ interests, the party’s Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh on Friday refused to include a proposal by Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the MCD House Ankush Narang—demanding the rollback of the controversial user charges—in the MCD House agenda. The rejection triggered a sharp protest, with Ankush Narang and AAP councillors marching to the Civic Centre, charging the BJP with sabotaging every effort to reduce the financial burden on ordinary citizens.

After a long wait, Ankush Narang met the Mayor, only to be met with evasive responses and excuses. “This proposal was meant to give relief to the people of Delhi—but BJP’s mindset has never been about serving the public. All they know is how to make false promises and deliver nothing,” Ankush Narang said.

MCD LoP Ankush Narang said that multiple residents and market associations have approached the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), expressing grave concern that the user charges are placing an unfair financial burden on ordinary citizens. “User charges are an additional and unjust burden on the people of Delhi. That’s why we are demanding that the BJP-led MCD resolve this issue and protect citizens from this injustice. These charges should not be imposed in Delhi,” said Ankush Narang.

He pointed out that there are 12 concessionaires contracted by the MCD for door-to-door garbage collection. However, these agencies are failing to fulfill their responsibilities. “Despite being paid for door-to-door garbage collection, many concessionaires are not picking up waste from households. As a result, homeowners are forced to hire private workers and pay out of pocket for waste disposal,” he added.

Ankush Narang further noted that there is no coordination between the concessionaires and the private sanitation staff who are actually collecting waste. “Throughout Delhi, there are dhalaos (garbage collection points) that continue to emit foul stench due to uncollected waste. The BJP-led MCD has done nothing to shut these down,” he said.

He highlighted that areas identified as FCDs (Fixed Collection Depots) and “vulnerable points” also remain choked with garbage. “These locations haven’t seen proper cleaning even once. People living nearby are forced to live with unbearable stench and unhygienic conditions. In such a scenario, levying user charges is completely unjustified,” said MCD House LoP.

Recounting BJP’s unkept promises, he said, “The moment Raja Iqbal became Mayor, he publicly announced that the user charges would be withdrawn immediately. It has been over a month now and the order remains in force.” He added that he wrote to the Mayor on 6 May, urging immediate rollback of user charges, but has not received a reply to date. “If the Mayor cannot even respond to a letter from the Leader of Opposition, what response can the ordinary citizens of Delhi expect?” he asked.

Ankush Narang reiterated that the Aam Aadmi Party strongly demands the withdrawal of the user charges. “I have written letters to both the Mayor and the Commissioner demanding its rollback. I even sent a formal proposal to the MCD House to rescind the user charges—but the BJP refused to include it in the agenda,” he stated.

He questioned the BJP’s intent behind these actions. “What exactly is the BJP trying to achieve? Their words and actions are completely contradictory. They say one thing and do another,” said Ankush Narang.

He exposed the BJP’s latest excuse—that user charges cannot be withdrawn because the Standing Committee never formally passed them. “If the Standing Committee never passed the user charges, how can it withdraw them? The fact is that the Commissioner implemented them unilaterally,” he said.

“With a four-engine BJP government—at the Centre, in the state through the LG, in the MCD, and in administrative posts—what excuse do they have for inaction?” he asked. “AAP demands the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of user charges to end this unjust exploitation of Delhi’s citizens,” concluded Ankush Narang.