India News | SMDC Food Cart Scheme Anti-citizen: AAP

New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI) The AAP on Thursday alleged that the SDMC's food cart scheme will create an opportunity for BJP councillors to earn "illegal money", but the saffron party rubbished the accusation saying it is a lie.

The BJP-ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has reportedly approved a proposal to allow smart food vans in its 104 wards and plans to start issuing licences to them soon.

In a press conference, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said this scheme has a condition that these licenses can only be issued by local councillors. "This means it is an open opportunity for BJP councillors to earn crores of illegal money," he said.

"The scheme will bring massive chaos on the roads and streets of the capital. The Aam Aadmi Party wants to know from the BJP whether they have consulted with RWAs (Resident Welfare Associations) or citizens of Delhi before passing this scheme," he said.

Bhardwaj said that the AAP demands that the BJP immediately rollback this scheme because it is completely "anti-citizen".

The BJP's Delhi unit, however, called the food cart scheme "people friendly" and said under this, licences will be issued in all 104 wards of the SDMC.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said Bhardwaj's allegations on the SDMC are one more lie in the AAP's series of lies.

"Under the scheme five food carts will be issued licences in every ward of the SDMC on the recommendation of area councilors, whether the councillor is from BJP, Congress or Aam Aadmi Party," he said.

"When councilors of both ruling and opposition parties will be involved in recommendations then where does it leave scope for corruption. It appears MLA Bhardwaj suspects the intentions of his own party's councillors and on that suspicion he is raising objection to the scheme," Kapoor said.

As far as the matter of RWAs' opinion is concerned, he said, no councillor, at least from the BJP, will offend an area's RWA while making recommendations.

Councillors will make recommendations after ensuring consensus, Kapoor said.

(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)