Row over 'proxy culture': Gurugram MC withdraws appointment of Mayor's husband as adviser

In the wake of a backlash over the promotion of “Mayor pati raaj”, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has withdrawn the recent orders appointing the husband of the newly elected Mayor as her adviser.

Mayor Raj Rani Malhotra of the BJP stirred a controversy as she went ahead appointing her own husband Tilak Raj Malhotra, a former BJP district president, as an official adviser to the MCG. The act drew criticism from all quarters and the Congress opposed the act saying it was “detrimental” to the spirit of reservation of seat for a woman and it promoted proxy culture.

Raj Rani, during her elections, was frequently called out for being a “mute rubber stamp with no voice of hers”.  It is being said that the withdrawal of appointment was the reason behind the cancellation of House meeting that was scheduled on Tuesday.

"We are glad both the Mayor and the MCG have come to their senses. The BJP is a government of rubber stamps and proxies. They chose a woman who neither had experience nor voice and was being led by her husband everywhere. She cannot discharge her duties as Mayor in the day-to-day work, so to ensure that her husband is with her in all meetings and House proceedings, they took the decision to make him an adviser. We cannot have a proxy culture in the Millenium City. The BJP talks so much about women empowerment but this is what they actually do," said local Congress leader Pankaj Dawar.