JOIN USMorning walkers in Malviya Nagar on Thursday complained about the leftovers of a late-evening victory celebration that AAP legislator Somnath Bharti held at a public park.
Oil stains on the pavement used by the walkers and stench from vegetable peel and fried snacks strewn about upset many residents.
They alleged that Bharti and his supporters broke open the lock on a park gate to illegally occupy a portion of the park for the feast on Wednesday night.
“Temporary lights were fixed in the park for the gathering which started at 8 pm and went on up to 10.30 pm,” said a resident, refusing to be named.
Upset morning walkers pointed out the waste to Deccan Herald on Thursday morning.
“Nobody wants to come to the forefront to complain as he is a legislator. But he'd better hold such parties in the community hall and not in a green park,” said a local resident.
Garlands and flower petals left behind after the function in the green patch also spoke about last night’s celebration.
The event was held as thanksgiving by the newly elected legislator for street vendors and tehbazari holders who supported Bharti in the election on his vow to end extortion by local policemen – primarily to overlook encroachment by vendors on roads and public spaces.
Bharti, who was busy in AAP meetings at Arvind Kejriwal’s Kaushambi residence on Thursday morning, confirmed that the function was held in the park last night.
“After the event, all the waste was collected by the volunteers at one point for being carried away,” he said, claiming that diligence was observed to prevent littering in the park.
“The waste will be removed from the park by sanitation workers,” he said.
Asked about the breaking of the gate-lock, he tried to refute the residents’ allegations.
“We got the keys from the civic agency to open the lock and it was not broken,” he claimed, while the broken lock hung from a gate on Thursday morning.
Residents living close to his house in NIL block said they had now got used to the hectic activity around his house. “During the elections, autorickshaws and other vehicles stationed near the house used to play party songs without a break,” said a resident.
DH News Service