Meeting the striking MCD MTS/CFW employees on Monday, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in MCD House, Ankush Narang said the BJP government must immediately accept all their demands. Backing the long-pending issues of the workers, he said their call for equal pay, medical earned leave and a job for one family member on compassionate grounds is justified.
The MCD House LoP reminded that he has written several letters to the Mayor and raised the matter in the House, but no action was taken. With Delhi already in the grip of seasonal diseases, the strike of 5,200 employees will only worsen the situation further.
AAP’s LoP in MCD House, Ankush Narang stated, “The BJP-led MCD government is using financial excuses to ignore the minimum wage demands of these employees. These workers protect the people of Delhi from diseases like malaria, chikungunya, and dengue, but the BJP is unable to fulfil even their basic needs. I had raised this issue in the MCD House as well, where employees demanded minimum wages. The threat of mosquito-borne diseases is at its peak in Delhi.”
He elaborated, “About one and a half months ago, these workers held a one-day strike and put forward three main demands. The first demand is for equal pay. Currently, Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS)/Civic Field Workers (CFW) are being paid under six different pay scales, which creates inequality. This demand is absolutely justified and everyone should receive equal pay.”
Explaining further, Ankush Narang said, “The second demand relates to medical earned leave. These employees have been working continuously for 25–30 years, yet they are not given the benefit of medical leave. The third demand is the most sensitive, where employees have asked for jobs to be given on compassionate grounds. These workers go daily to tanks, rooftops, streets, and coolers to check water, carry out fogging, and spray medicines.”
He asserted, “In doing so, they come into maximum contact with mosquitoes and larvae, which exposes them to diseases. If something happens to a worker, what is wrong in demanding that one member of their family be given a job?”
Criticising the attitude of MCD officials, Ankush Narang said, “When employees met the officials, a director explained to them that providing equal pay would cause an additional burden of ₹5 crore every month, which amounts to ₹60 crore annually. Delhi has a four-engine BJP government, yet it cannot bear such a small expense. The Mayor should be ashamed.”
“These 5,200 workers represent 5,200 families of Delhi. It is because of their hard work that the BJP won seven Lok Sabha seats, 48 Assembly seats, and currently enjoys a majority in the MCD. CM Rekha Gupta spends much more than this amount on advertisements and also on bringing buses for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rallies,” he added.
Recalling the struggle of the workers, Ankush Narang said, “After a long fight by the Aam Aadmi Party, Domestic Breeding Checkers (DBC) employees got the status of Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS), but even then the BJP government did not fulfil their demand for equal pay. On 26 September, I wrote a letter to the Mayor demanding a solution to this issue. I also raised the matter in the House. But the BJP Mayor did not discuss any solution. I criticised the attitude of MCD officials.”
He further added, “In the meeting of the Medical Health Officer (MHO) with the union, first a letter from the Delhi government was demanded, which was provided. Then letters from all zones were asked for. Aam Aadmi Party’s four zone chairpersons—Punit Rai, Amrit Jain, Vikas Tang, and Nirmala Kumari—submitted their letters, but still the demands were not fulfilled. Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh is not only neglecting the workers but also pushing the people of Delhi into the havoc of seasonal diseases.”
Attacking the BJP for its governance in Delhi, Ankush Narang stated, “The people of Delhi mistakenly gave the BJP seven Lok Sabha seats, 48 Assembly seats, and a majority in the MCD, and in return, the BJP has imposed a ‘mute and deaf government’ and a ‘dummy mayor’ on Delhi. Now the Mayor is threatening to sack employees.”
He asserted, “The BJP has had control of the MCD for 10–15 years, yet Raja Iqbal could not even carry out a single recruitment. But employees will not be scared of these threats, and the Aam Aadmi Party stands shoulder to shoulder with them. Before even thinking of dismissing these workers, the Mayor should step out of his air-conditioned car and air-conditioned room and work in the interest of employees.”
Highlighting the ongoing protest, Ankush Narang said, “Today, outside the Civic Centre, the headquarters of MCD, 5,200 MTS/CFW employees of the Public Health Department of MCD are sitting on strike with their legitimate demands. But BJP Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh, in his arrogance, is not ready to listen to them. When I wanted to discuss this issue in the House, the BJP Mayor neither allowed a discussion nor tried to find a solution. The Mayor cares neither for the people of Delhi nor for the employees. Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh is a dummy mayor of the BJP and he should immediately resign from his post.”
Reiterating AAP’s commitment, Ankush Narang said, “The Aam Aadmi Party has always spoken in favour of corporation employees and will continue to raise their issues shoulder to shoulder with them, from the streets to the House.”
