UP councillors vow to split ill-gotten funds in video
A video showing municipal councillors in Shahjahanpur swearing to divide illegal funds has triggered a political controversy. While opposition parties have condemned the act as corruption, the involved councillors claim the video was doctored and taken out of context.
Why it matters
The incident raises serious questions about local government integrity and the potential for systemic corruption in municipal bodies.
MEERUT: A purported video showing Shahjahanpur municipal corporation councillors swearing on Gangajal and Quran to divide illegally gotten revenue from the civic body “equally and fairly” among themselves has triggered both a political and social media storm.The video has several councillors holding holy water in their hands and solemnly promising each other -- sometimes even swearing on their mothers -- as they discuss “batwara” (division) and “allocation of shares”.Municipal commissioner Saumya Gurjar said she has “taken cognisance of the video” and ordered the constitution of a team to investigate the matter.Of the 60 councillors in the civic body, 41 belong to the BJP, while the remaining are from other parties or are independents.Dhirendra Singh Chauhan, BJP councillor from ward 24 and one of those seen in the clip, denied any transgression. He told TOI, “The vow had nothing to do with revenues.
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