Politicians making irresponsible statements, won’t be surprised if they are lynched: Delhi HC

Source:-https://indianexpress.com/

The Delhi High Court Thursday said that political leaders were not bothered about citizens and were making all kinds of irresponsible statements to further their political agenda. It further said that it won’t be surprised if such politicians are “lynched by the public”.

“What have we come to? What kind of a country, society are we emerging into? People are making all kinds of irresponsible statements and all kinds of actions are being taken just for personal interests and further their political agenda, unmindful of what harm they are causing to the society and people,” observed a division bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli while hearing a matter related to non-payment of salaries of employees of municipal corporations in Delhi.

The court added, “Don’t the political class have to mature? If this is the way things go on, I won’t be surprised if the politicians and people who indulge in this are lynched by the public at large.”

The observation was made by the court soon after a Delhi government counsel requested the court to “tone down” an order in which it earlier recorded that there was a political slugfest going on between the Delhi government and municipal corporations, which are controlled by the opposing political party.

“There is no real concern for the municipal employees in the political establishment, whether it is that of the Delhi government or the municipal corporations,” observed the court.

During the hearing, the court took a strong exception to the adjustment of outstanding loans undertaken by Delhi government during the pandemic against the funds which were to be released to the municipal corporations, and called the deduction completely unjustified. It ordered the government to transfer back the funds to the corporation within two weeks.

“We are ashamed of you and your leaders,” observed the court, “You are fighting like cats and dogs.”

A number of cases relating to the employees, both present and retired, of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation are pending before the court since last year. The employees, including doctors and paramedical staff, are seeking payment of salaries and pensions which has remained pending for the past many months.