On Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kerjriwal’s direction, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Wednesday released the salary of 96 employees of the Hardayal Municipal Public Library (HMPL) for five months.

HMPL is an autonomous body run by MCD grant. The employees of the library had been sitting on dharna for the last 35 months as their salaries had not been paid since 2021. The salary to the employees released today in lumpsum pertained to five months during 2021.

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MLA and MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak, Mayor Shelly Oberai, Deputy Mayor Aaley Mohammad Iqbal, Leader of MCD House Mukesh Goel were also present on the occasion.

Addressing the HMPL employees, who had gathered at the Chief Minister’s camp office to thank him for redressing their long-pending grievances, Kejriwal expressed happiness over the release of five months’ salary to the employees after a long struggle.

He said, “A provision has been made for your salaries for the remaining period and it will also be released soon.”

Kejriwal said theirs is a government of the commoners and they understand the pain and sufferings of the common people because they also come from the same background.

“We are not politicians. In Punjab our party has 92 elected MLAs. Of these, 80 are first timers. Barring five to seven MLAs, most are first timers in Delhi as well. We also come from the middle class and understand how difficult it is to survive without salary,” he said.

“Expenses are to be incurred on paying electricity bills, water bills, children school fees and medical treatment. We worked on these issues and in the last 10 years, we have governments in two states (Delhi and Punjab). There is only one reason behind this that what we do, no other party has neither done nor they intend to do,” he said.

Kejriwal said: “They (BJP) curse us for providing electricity, water, health facilities, quality education for free. “The basic needs of a common man are electricity, water, education and treatment, if he gets these then he does not need anything else. We are working on them. We are working for you people (citizens).”

The Delhi Chief Minister said this is the only way to differentiate between a corrupt and an honest government.

“Earlier there was dishonest government, which ruined MCD in 15 years, now there is honest government. You must have noticed the difference in the functioning of MCD in the last one year even though they have snatched our various powers, they are not allowing a Standing Committee in MCD,” he said.

“They are posing problems in running MCD and Delhi government. If there is honest government then there is no shortage of money in the government, if we bring a government with good intentions, then everything will be good. But what the previous government lacked was the intention. We have good intentions and that is why we are surrounded by good people,” he said.

Earlier, MLA and MCD in charge Durgesh Pathak apprised the chief minister of the problems faced by the HMPL employees since 2021.

“The employees of the Hardayal Municipal Library have suffered a lot. Not only were they denied salary for over 30 months, but the staff was also humiliated badly. The former secretary, who was a BJP leader, made the employees work as her domestic helps and driver. For a couple of months, the library staff went without electricity due to power disconnection,” he said.

Thanking the chief minister, one woman employee of the HMPL said, “Though we were not getting salaries, but your policies were a big relief for us to make both ends meet. We availed your free bus service for women and ensured our electricity and water consumption restricted to qualify for free of charge. We are proud to be citizens of Delhi. Ever since your government came to power in the MCD, we were sure that we would be helped.”