Civic polls ahead, politics seen behind timing
NEW DELHI: Around a dozen sanitation workers, employed with East Delhi Municipal Corporation, were on Saturday protesting outside corporation headquarters demanding authorities to honour their long-pending demands including disbursal of salary arrears.
The protesters resorted to raising anti-Arvind Kejriwal slogans, giving enough hints of the political undercurrent attached to sanitation workers’ strike in the festive season.
Though the next civic body elections is due in April 2017, major political parties have already started gearing up. The support to the ‘cause’ of safai karmacharis is part of poll preparation.
While politics in the corporations has largely been bipolar between Congress and the BJP, the emergence of the AAP on the political horizon has added to the scramble for political supremacy in the urban local bodies.
One of the direct visible bearings of it has been on changing political affiliations of sanitation workers’ unions and their approach towards their own cause.
“While we are not politically backed, senior leaders of Congress have assured that they will fight for our rights. They have said that they will join us and will continue to protest with us,” said Rajinder Mewati, general secretary United Front of MCD employees.
Sant Lal Chavariya, general secretary of Joint Front of MCD Unions — which is opposing the strike — termed the strikes to be politically motivated. “The strikes have come at a time of festivities and when Capital is witnessing an International meet. We are not in favour of such strikes,” said Chavariya. Oct. 26 Oct. 27 Oct. 28 Oct. 29
ITC Maurya and Taj Palace General traffic movement will not be affected. Routes will only be closed in phases as delegate carcade pass