BJP councillor tried to occupy MCD school, alleges AAP

In a serious allegation against the BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday accused BJP councillor Aarti Chawla and her husband Rajat Chawla of attempting to illegally occupy the premises of a closed MCD primary school in Old Rajinder Nagar’s Ward 141. The land, under the jurisdiction of the Karol Bagh zone of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), was reportedly targeted for encroachment despite written complaints by the school in-charge.

The matter was brought to light by Leader of Opposition in MCD, Ankush Narang, who has written to the MCD Commissioner demanding an immediate probe and strict action against the councillor and her husband. “When the school in-charge refused to hand over the keys, the BJP councillor allegedly threatened to have her removed from her job,” Narang said during a press conference.

According to Narang, the school in-charge filed multiple complaints—first through WhatsApp and email, and later a formal written complaint—to both the Deputy Commissioner and the school inspector, accusing the councillor and her husband of coercion and intimidation. “The BJP has been resorting to open hooliganism since taking over the municipal body. It’s clear that they are trying to grab land in a high-value area,” he said.

The school in question was formed in 2006 after the merger of two institutions. While one building continues to function, the other lies vacant. Narang claimed that the councillor’s repeated pressure to hand over the keys points to an attempt to exploit the property’s rising real estate value.

Karol Bagh Zone Chairman and AAP councillor Puneet Rai, who also addressed the press, said, “We have received a letter from the Education Department regarding this matter. As soon as I took charge on June 2, I was informed that the BJP councillor and her husband were attempting to occupy the school land. They have no authority to interfere with school property.”

Rai called on the MCD administration to take urgent action. “No elected representative has the right to encroach on public land. We were elected to serve people, not grab property. This kind of misuse of power must stop,” he said.

Both Narang and Rai alleged that the BJP, emboldened by its position in the so-called “double-engine government”, has been acting with impunity. “This is not governance—it is arrogance,” Narang said.

The AAP has demanded an immediate investigation by Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh and the MCD Commissioner, and protection for the school in-charge who, the party claims, is under psychological stress due to continuous threats.