AAP Leader Sanjay Singh points out MCD neglect in BJP's tenure amid political tension over Rajinder Nagar incident

New Delhi [India], July 29 : Amid the escalating political blamegame over the Rajinder Nagar waterlogging incident that claimed the lives of three students, Aam Admi party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh questioned the BJP's inaction during its 15-year tenure in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Highlighting the presence of coaching classes and libraries operating in building basements for the past 25-30 years, Sanjay Singh strongly criticised the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) for its handling of infrastructure issues in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar.
"Coaching classes and libraries have been running in the basements of buildings for 25-30 years. The BJP was in power in the MCD for the last 15 years; why did the BJP not take action? Our mayor is continuously sealing such coaching institutes. The Delhi LG has said that the drainage system has been blocked for 10 years. Who was in the MCD then? AAP came into the MCD last year, whereas the BJP was in the MCD for 15 years," AAP MP Sanjay Singh asked.

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal has also called for strict action and accountability in the tragic deaths of three UPSC aspirants in Rajinder Nagar.

"Three UPSC aspirants have died in Delhi and I feel that this is not death, rather a murder. Yesterday, I met their families. One of the victims, Shreya, had come to Rajender Nagar to study. Her father is a farmer. I want to ask who is responsible for this. These students come here with so many aspirations to the national capital and this is what they face," Maliwal said in an address in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi said that a sealing drive is ongoing in the Old Rajinder Nagar area, in which 13 such coaching centres were seized.
"Three students died after the basement of their coaching institute here was flooded with rainwater on July 27. As soon as I received the information on the incident, I immediately reached the spot and took stock of the incident. I wrote a letter to the MCD Commissioner and directed that all those coaching centres in Delhi that are running illegally or are not following the norms of the MCD, action should be taken against them," Oberoi said while speaking to ANI.

"Today also, a sealing drive took place in Rajinder Nagar and 6 coaching institutes were sealed. An encroachment drive also took place...The sealing drive also took place in Mukherjee Nagar. Junior Engineer was terminated and an Assistant Engineer was suspended...No such coaching centres which are running illegally will not be spared," she added.

Requesting the Home Ministry to form a committee to investigate the matter, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj trained guns at the AAP for negligence and the MCD said, "Those students were in Delhi for the preparation of IAS examinations, but sadly, I have to say that due to the criminal negligence of the Delhi government, those students have lost their lives. The cause of the deaths of these three students is the utter and absolute apathy of the Aam Aadmi Party ruling dispensation in Delhi. For a decade, AAP has been enjoying power in Delhi but not doing work for the people of Delhi. MCD has been under AAP for the last 2 years and Delhi Jal Board is also under them," Swaraj said in an address in Lok Sabha.

"The residents of Old Rajinder Nagar were continuously complaining to the local MLA, Councillor and officers; the MLA kept making satire but didn't take any action. I request the Home Ministry form a committee to investigate the matter," she added.

Agreeing to hold a discussion on the deaths of three UPSC aspirants at a coaching centre in Delhi, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar said on Monday that coaching has become "virtually commerce."

"I find that the youth demographic dividend of the country has to be nurtured; I further find that coaching has become virtually commerce every time we read a newspaper front, one or two pages are by way of advertisements. In a country where opportunities are expanding, this silo is turning out to be a problem. I deem it appropriate to have a short duration discussion under Rules 176 or a call to action under U/R 180. For that, I will confer with the leaders of the parties immediately before zero hour begins in my chamber," the Rajya Sabha Chairman said.

On Saturday, July 27, three UPSC aspirants died after the basement of a coaching centre in West Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar was flooded with water.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP workers and leaders protested against the AAP government in Delhi, near the AAP Office, over the Old Rajinder Nagar incident.

The Delhi Police arrested the owner and coordinator of the coaching centre in connection with the incident and booked them for culpable homicide, among other charges.