At mohalla sabha, Khajuri Khas residents vote out liquor vend

KAPIL MISHRA HOLDS FIRST ‘OFFICIAL’ MEETING IN HIS CONSTITUENCY

OVER 700 residents voted out a liquor vend in a residential colony in Khajuri Khas during a mohalla sabha held by Water Minister Kapil Mishra in his constituency Sunday. The AAP government’s biggest poll plank in Delhi — the mohalla sabhas empowering residents to decide the allocation of funds and projects in their neighbourhood — saw the light of day in Karawal Nagar.

Though the cabinet approved thesettingupof2,972mohallasabhas across 70 constituencies in June,anofficialnotificationisyetto be issued. Mishra, however, went ahead to conduct the first ‘official’ mohallasabha.evenasmishrawas called‘over-enthusiastic’forjumpingthegun,heinsisteditwasdone withthe‘consent’ofpartyleaders.

“Ihadpermissionfromthecm anddeputycm.thisisnotthefirst time that a mohalla sabha is being held by us. This just comes after the cabinet decision, officially setting up mohalla sabhas,” he said.

Over 700 residents of Khajuri Khas gathered to vote out a liquor vend in their locality. Locals have to walk past a bylane right next to the vend to reach a bus-stand and had often complained about inebriated customers drinking and urinating openly.

Manoj Tyagi, a local resident and AAP volunteer, said, “After a long discussion, we voted on the issue. Residents, by a show of hands, heavily voted against the vend. But a few locals, with affiliations to opposition parties, tried to create a ruckus and stop the voting process. They were escorted away from the venue and it was finally decided that the vend will be shut down.”

The Swaraj Abhiyan, led by former AAP leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, had launched a campaign earlier this month to protest against the running of liquor vends in residential areas without the consent of locals. The Abhiyan alleged that Mishra did not attend the sabha fearing a backlash from the locals.

“Locals said the mohalla sabha was just an eye-wash. There is resentment against the local MLA. After our jansunwai (public hearing), the MLA quickly organised the sabha and did not even turn up for it. The official conducting the sabha did not even say when the vend will be shut down,” said Swaraj Abhiyan.

Mishra, however, rubbished the allegations. “I first announced that we will hold a mohalla sabha and when it appeared in the morning newspapers, the Swaraj Abhiyan held a press conference that day itself and said it will hold a public meeting.” On Sunday, the Abhiyan held another jansunwai demanding the closure of a liquor vend near Nawada Metro station.