New Delhi, Apr 11 (PTI) Delhi Mayor Mahesh Kumar wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, seeking the removal of MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar over additional user charges on property-tax payers without consulting the elected House.

Addressing a press conference here, Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj, flanked by the mayor, accused the commissioner of working at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said the additional tax burden on people is unjustified.

The commissioner, however, said these were “motivated” allegations.

Bharadwaj said the MCD budget passed by the mayor had provisions to give some relief to people amid rising prices. “For instance, a proposal was passed to exempt houses measuring up to 100 square yards from the property tax. But the commissioner has failed to implement it,” he said.

He further alleged that despite budgetary provisions for regularising around 12,000 contractual employees, no action has so far been taken.

“Without the approval of the mayor or the House, user charges have been imposed arbitrarily. Even after the mayor intervened and objected, nothing was stopped. A letter was written to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday for the withdrawal of the additional user charges. On Friday, the mayor wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding Ashwani Kumar’s removal,” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said.

“If the BJP is not involved in this, then the commissioner should be suspended immediately and replaced with an impartial officer,” he added.

The AAP leaders said if no action is taken, the councillors of the party would be forced to carry out developmental work in their wards independently.

The mayor also echoed similar concerns during the press briefing.

“These charges are an extra burden on the people of Delhi, who are already struggling with inflation,” he said.

The BJP should have worked to minimise taxes but instead, it is increasing the tax burden on people, who are now regretting bringing it to power, he claimed.

Asked to comment over the matter, MCD commissioner Ashwani Kumar said the allegations levelled against him were “motivated”. PTI NSM RC