New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) The AAP on Thursday alleged that the BJP-ruled East Delhi Municipal Corporation has increased the slaughter charges to benefit a firm which runs an abattoir under its jurisdiction, and promised that it will initiate a probe into the civic body's decision if it comes to power.

Addressing a virtual press conference, senior AAP leader Durgesh Pathak alleged that the EDMC has approved "the request" of the company which runs an abattoir in Ghazipur and increased the slaughter charges bypassing the rules at the behest of the BJP leaders.

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"Its a scam of Rs 450 crore. It seems as if someone in the higher ups of the BJP is involved in this whole scam, he charged and added, "Once the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) comes to MCD (civic body), we will get this investigated thoroughly."

The BJP hit back and asked the AAP to shed its "dirty politics" of making false allegations and "cooperate" in the unification of the three civic bodies.

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"When the EDMC has made proper announcement of the hike in slaughter charges, its obvious all excess money will be accounted for. The MCD revenue from slaughtering will also increase," Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said in a statement.

According to the rules, Pathak said, any proposal to hike slaughter charges should have first been discussed at the meeting of the standing committee of the corporation.

If the committee approves the proposal, it should have then been placed in the House for discussion and approval, he said.

"But leaders did not bring it either before the standing committee nor the House. They approved the company's request using the special powers vested in them. While the company is set to gain to the tune of at least Rs 450 crores with this approval, its burden would be borne by the people of Delhi," the AAP leader charged.

Defending the corporation's decision, Kapoor said Pathak's allegation of corruption in the EDMC in connection with the hike in the slaughter charges showed "frustration" of the AAP leaders.

"It appears that in sleep too, AAP leaders, especially Durgesh Pathak, dream about the municipal corporations. Levelling allegations on the MCDs is their only political work," he added.

The AAP has intensified its attack on the BJP raising issues of corruption and failure of the civic bodies on various fronts during the saffron party's regime since the Delhi State Election Commission deferred the announcement of the Delhi municipal poll schedules at the last minute.

Amid row over the issue, the Union Cabinet brought approved a proposal to unify the three civic bodies in the national capital.

Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha passed the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill during the just-concluded Parliament Session.

"The BJP has turned the MCD into its den of corruption in past 15 years... That's why they are running away from the election," Pathak charged, asserting that AAP will emerge victorious whenever the civic polls are held.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)