A heated exchange of words has unfolded between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regarding the funding of beautification projects in Delhi for the forthcoming G20 Summit, scheduled for September 9th and 10th in the national capital.
Delhi’s Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has stated that the Constitution does not grant Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena the authority to approve funds for projects within the city. He emphasized that the Public Works Department (PWD) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) employ taxpayer money for their work, asserting that the Delhi government is responsible for the funding without any contribution from the Centre or LG.
Bharadwaj noted, “There is no money given by the Centre or LG. Whatever work done by PWD and MCD is done using taxpayers’ money.”
In response, LG Saxena remarked that if someone wishes to claim credit for his work, they are welcome to do so. He further emphasized that if the work’s quality warrants acknowledgment, it reflects positively on the Centre.
However, he refrained from delving into further details, stating, “I don’t want to comment much on it. But would only like to say that we will continue doing our work. If someone wants to take credit for it, they can. I am satisfied with this thing that if I am doing some work and someone wants to take credit for it, it means that we are doing good.”
This verbal dispute ensued after the BJP asserted that Delhi’s transformation for the G20 Summit has been financed by the Central government. The BJP accused the AAP-led administration in Delhi of unjustly claiming credit for the beautification projects.
As the G20 Summit approaches, slated to kick off on September 9th, the event will bring together representatives from member nations and guest nations for two days of discussions on various economic reforms. The summit will culminate with the adoption of a G20 Leaders’ Declaration, encompassing the priorities and agreements reached during the meetings.
While Delhi prepares to host this international gathering, the ongoing dispute over the funding of beautification projects underscores the complex dynamics between political entities and the pursuit of credit for public initiatives.
