Delhi’s AAP accuses ex-Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha chief Poonam Parashar of nepotism
Delhi’s AAP accuses ex-Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha chief Poonam Parashar of nepotism
Poonam denies all allegations; Says she acted as per the Library’s Constitution
New Delhi, July 14 (Delhi Crown): Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday accused former Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha president and ex-MCD Councillor Poonam Parashar of flouting the norms to appoint her husband as a Member of the Hardayal Library, and also awarding a lucrative job to her son paying him almost Rs 40,000 per month.
Poonam, who is presently the Secretary of the Hardayal Library, denied the charges over phone, and claimed that she did no wrong. She also stated that she had only carried out her functions as per the provisions of the Constitution of the Library.
Her husband Anil Jha is an ex-MLA of Kirari. Both, Poonam and Anil Jha rose in Delhi BJP’s ranks from DUSU politics, as both had been office-bearers during their student days in the students’ union.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, AAP MLA and spokesman Durgesh Pathak stated that the BJP’s Poonam Parashar indulged in nepotism by appointing her husband and son in the Library, and that she did this despite the fact that thousands of MCD employees were not paid salaries for over 18 months due to paucity of funds.
“It is interesting to note that the moment Poonam Parashar became the Library’s Secretary, she nominated her husband Anil Jha as a lifetime member of the Committee. She did not stop here, but also hired her son to work in the Library on Rs 38,000 as a monthly salary. What’s even ludicrous is the fact that on one hand, they don’t have to pay the salary and pension of the employees and on the other, they created an opening to hire ten persons. The recruitment process for those ten vacancies is quite interesting. They gave an advertisement on 19th and 23rd as the last date to apply for vacancies. Only the 10 persons who applied for the job got appointed without any competition. These 10 people were initially given a temporary job but it was made permanent in merely three months.”
Refuting Pathak’s allegations, Poonam told www.thedelhicrown.com – “Elections had to be conducted for the Managing Committee of the Library because out of the earlier four members three never participated in the meetings, and one Member used to show up. Those who contested the elections and won became the Members. In case of my son, he has no job in the Library. We regularly hire trainees/interns for different positions in the Library. My son was also hired as a trainee/intern for three months after which he stopped working here. Yes, we do pay certain amounts to the trainees/interns, and hence, he too was paid as per the work he was hired for.”
She also told “The Delhi Crown” that the Hardayal Library was a hot-spot of nepotism in the past before she took over as the Secretary.
During the press conference, Pathak also told media persons – “I am going to write a letter to the Delhi L-G with all the details and evidence regarding this matter. AAP demands an investigation from the L-G as to how the Secretary of Management Committee appointed her husband as a lifetime member and together, they got a job for their child. He should also investigate the process of recruitment of 10 people and how they were made permanent within three months of joining.”
