In a first-of-its-kind protest, corporators at the Surat Municipal Corporation, the Opposition AAP members slept the night in the civic body’s meeting room. This was done to ensure continuity of their protest to denounce the ruling BJP’s “dictatorial ways.”
It all started, when Saturday, the General Assembly proceedings were abruptly dismissed soon after the BJP was done with its business. The Speaker unanimously ended the session.
“Is it a democracy or autocracy? No there is not scope left to speak up? We were about to table our proposal, during the allotted hour, when suddenly, the announcement was made that the meeting was over,” stated the ruffled AAP corporators.
Media personnel has been barred from entering the corporation and the only news emerging is from messages sent from the corporators who have “locked themselves in.”
When asked to elaborate on their pending proposal, an AAP corporator messaged: “We were to table two proposals. The first relates to recruitment of Class IV employees. This section has been diligently discharging its duties of ensuring a clean and sanitary Surat. However, no recruitment has happened since 2017. With the inclusion of new areas under the municipal body, it is natural to increase the number of janitors. At present, janitors are being hired on contract and are paid Rs 140 for fours hours. This is grossly unfair but the sweepers are sticking on, hoping that their service would be made permanent.”
Women corporators also joined the protest and slept the night at the Sardar Khand Hall. The protest is still on.
