New Delhi, Jun 11 (HT): Taking on the BJP-ruled municipal corporations, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said the civic bodies were so corrupt that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have to bribe officials if he wanted to build a balcony in his house.

“I challenge Modiji to build one balcony in his house without paying bribe. It is impossible. Even God can’t construct a house in Delhi without bribing MCD. That is how corrupt the corporations are,” Kejriwal said.

Speaking at a special session of the Delhi Assembly on Friday, he said if the corporations can’t pay their employees than they should call for fresh elections.

The two-day session was called primarily to highlight alleged corruption and irregularities in the corporations. The session was extended by a day and is expected to conclude on Monday.

“Delhi has become a gutter. London and Washington are squeaky clean. I am sure if Obama (US president Barack Obama) meets Modi ji, he would say that Delhi stinks. BJP (in MCD) misappropriates all the money and doesn’t pay safai karamcharis. If you can’ t pay your employees, quit and call for fresh elections. You should die of shame if you can’t pay their salaries,” he said.

“We gave more money than the previous government. Where did it go? I went to Jaitley ji (Union finance minister Arun Jaitley) when safai karamcharis went on strike the first time and asked them to give more money. He remained silent and I realised even they didn’t trust the BJP ruled MCDs with money because of the level of corruption,” he said.

The special session saw a number of MLAs raising issues related to the municipal corporations, including sanitation, corruption, misappropriation of funds and irregularities.

“You started doing dharnas outside MLAs’ houses as soon as you came to know we are holding a special session on MCD. If you were doing a good job, the session would have been to praise you but you knew you were not doing your job and started dharna… You talk about money all the time. You don’t need money to clean the streets, only brooms,” he said.

The CM asked how councillors, who earn Rs 300 per meeting, could afford to buy big cars and houses. “If the anti-corruption branch were with us, 95% of councillors would be in jail,” he said.

The assembly adopted a motion to set up a house committee to enquire into charges of ‘rampant corruption and irregularities’ in municipal corporations. The committee will include B JP M LA from Mustafabad, Jagdish Pradhan.

The panel will probe allegations of corruption, recommend measures to improve sanitation, health, sanitation and education. It will also look into the feasibility and suitability of having trifurcated municipal corporations.