Picture used for representative purpose only.
A group of RWAs in Delhi is opposing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s ambitious Mohalla Sabha plan.
The representatives of RWAs of several housing societies hold the view that the concept of Mohalla Sabhas will negate the power of the non-political RWAs. Another apprehension is that the election to the Mohalla Sabhas will turn into a contest between leading political parties, and the RWAs, which are elected bodies to voice residents’ views, will be sidelined.
When City Spidey spoke to representatives of more than a dozen RWAs in the city, it found that most of them share similar concerns and want the government to strengthen RWAs instead of putting another public unit in place. Moreover, many of them are disappointed that the bill for Mohalla Sabhas was not placed in the public domain and that there is no clarity on the constitution, role and powers of the sabhas.
JP Sharma, secretary of a Vasundhara Enclave RWA, said, “The concept of Mohalla Sabhas is similar to the previous government’s Bhagidari scheme and the idea is to take political control.” Sharma added that sabhas would just be a group of political parties pitted against one another and would have no use like the Bhagidari scheme. He said, “RWAs are public representative units under the rule laid down in the Indian Constitution, while Mohalla Sabhas is a politically framed component.”
On June 17, the Delhi Cabinet cleared the proposal for Mohalla Sabhas and allocated Rs 350 crore for the purpose. The amount is to be equally distributed among the 2,972 mohalla sabhas. All registered voters in an area will automatically become members of the mohalla sabha. Each sabha will have two coordinators who will organise monthly meetings.
Earlier in 2015, United Residents and RWAs Joint Action (URJA), a confederation of 1,463 RWAs in Delhi, had opposed the Mohalla Sabha concept and described it as an attempt “to hijack the equitable, apolitical and democratic process of the decentralised, decision-making RWAs.”
