NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party staged a massive protest at the LG House to demand a CBI investigation into the 6,000 crore toll-tax scam in BJP-controlled MCD. The protest saw the presence of hundreds of party volunteers led by AAP MLA & MCD In-charge Shri Durgesh Pathak & all three former LoPs of the AAP in the MCD.
AAP’s erstwhile North MCD LoP Vikas Goel said, “In 2017, BJP gave a 1,200 crore per annum contract to a company for toll tax-collection, but after the first year the company paid barely 10%-20% of the amount. The same contract was later awarded to Sahakar Global for a mere 786 crores in 2021, but it too is only paying 250 crores to the MCD. Delhi Deputy CM Shri Manish Sisodia sought a CBI inquiry in the matter but the LG isn’t ready for it.”
At the same time, AAP’s erstwhile East MCD LoP Shri Manoj Tyagi said, “Had the LG recommended a CBI investigation, it would have become clear that the BJP is benefitting out of the toll tax scam at the cost of Delhiites.”
While, AAP’s erstwhile South MCD LoP Shri Prem Chauhan furthered the demand for investigation saying that this is a bigger scam than it seems to be and there must be an extensive investigation of the matter.
AAP’s erstwhile North MCD LOP Shri Vikas Goel said, “BJP has ruled the MCD for the past 16-17 years and if there is one thing which they have done with utter sincerity is corruption. If you keep a tally of the corruption committed by the BJP, the list will run into pages. In 2017, BJP gave a contract to a company named MEP Infrastructure Developers ltd to collect toll tax in Delhi for a fee of Rs twelve hundred and six crores per year.
That company paid the fee for one year and stopped paying the money afterwards. Sometimes they paid 10% of the total fee and sometimes they paid 20% but not more than that. As per the terms of the contract, the MCD could have terminated the contract in case of default in payment but they did not do that. They should have acted swiftly and given the contract to a new company. They let the company continue collecting the tax for four years without paying the fee which caused a loss of thousands of crores. It was the hard-earned taxpayers’ money which should have gone to the MCD.
He added, “Afterwards, they issued a new tender but the fee was reduced to Rs Seven Hundred and Eighty-six crores but only Rs two hundred crores were paid by the new company. Despite the fact that inflation has skyrocketed and the population & no of vehicles in Delhi have increased, the fee was reduced drastically. They did not stop there and they gave a tax waiver of Rs 83 crore to be paid by the company. Even then, the company is not paying the fee. When we went into the depth of this matter, we found that both the companies have the same director and they are sister organisations.”
He concluded, “It is a major scam of the BJP. There are 124 entry points in Delhi from which lakhs of commercial vehicles enter into the city daily. They are being charged Rs 100 to 1200 as toll tax. Even if we do a modest calculation, total tax collected per month should not be less than Rs two hundred to three hundred crores.
But the tender was given for Rs Seven Hundred and Eighty-six crores and even then the company is not paying the fee. The company has colluded with MCD officials and BJP leaders. This money is going in their pockets. Deputy CM Shri Manish Sisodia has written a letter to the L-G requesting to direct the CBi to conduct a detailed investigation of the matter. However, it is quite unfortunate that the L-G is not willing to conduct an investigation on any of the matters.
Hence, the AAP workers have taken to the streets today with a demand that this matter should be investigated and the culprits should be given the strictest punishments. All the money which went to their pockets should be brought back and given to the MCD should they spend it on development work and providing better facilities to the public. They should pay the salary of their employees, improve the condition of their hospitals and purchase books for the children studying in MCD schools.”
AAP’s erstwhile East MCD LOP Shri Manoj Tyagi said, “If the L-G does not order an investigation in the matter, it will be crystal clear that he is not Delhi’s L-G but BJP’s L-G. He is working for the party as their leader. I am requesting him because he holds an honourable position. People of Delhi have expectations for you that you will conduct an investigation if corruption takes place under his watch. Deputy CM Shri Manish Sisodia has also written a letter with a request for CBI investigation of the matter. This is a scam worth Rs six thousand crores.
The people of Delhi are already paying so much taxes like House tax, conversion licence fee and that too at increased rates. They should have been given some relief. This toll tax scam should be investigated with fairness and transparency. The L-G should immediately order an inquiry and if it’s done, many leaders will be found guilty and sent behind bars. People of Delhi will be delighted to see that.
AAP’s erstwhile South MCD LOP Shri Prem Chauhan said, “A tender of Rs 1200 crores was issued by the South MCd which was the nodal agency for the tender concerned but it did not collect the money in a proper manner. It was only after 4-4.5 years had passed that the MCD felt the need to cancel the tender. A fresh tender was issued so that the people of Delhi totally forget about the old tender and gobbling of the funds.
But Delhiites are not kids. They have been at the receiving end of forceful collection of the toll by the goons. A huge amount of money was collected but where did that money go? The MCD should have received Rs six thousand crores. The L-G is prompt in ordering investigation in various matters but the people of Delhi are well aware of matters where the real corruption is taking place. It is the MCD which is indulged in corruption under L-G’s watch. He only orders an investigation to divert the attention from real matters. He should conduct a detailed investigation of the matter. Deputy CM Shri Manish Sisodia has already written a letter to him but he has not taken any action. Hence, we are here to do a gherao of his house.”
AAP’s Azadpur Mandi Chairman Adil Khan said, “We have gathered in front of L-G House to protest against a massive toll tax scam committed by the BJP and we are demanding from the L-G to conduct an investigation because the scam is worth a whopping Rs six thousand crores. Our protest will continue until the L-G orders a CBI investigation on the matter.”
