Sealing drive changed into pick and choose system: Manoj Tiwari

Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Manoj Tiwari on Monday alleged that sealing drive in the national capital has changed into a "pick and choose" system while adding that the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee is also violating laws.

"I have been saying this that sealing drive has changed into a 'pick and choose' system. There is a lot of corruption on the ground. The monitoring committee is also violating laws. Considering this, the Supreme Court today (Monday) said what if I am made the sealing officer. I'm ready to be the sealing officer," Tiwari told ANI.

The BJP MP from east Delhi is facing contempt proceedings for breaking the lock of a house sealed by the apex court-mandated monitoring committee. Tiwari said that he broke the lock of the premises located in his constituency as it was wrongly sealed by the committee.

Earlier, Tiwari filed an affidavit in pursuant to the contempt plea and said that he has "not disobeyed" orders of the apex court's monitoring committee and hence no contempt has been committed by him.

During the hearing of the contempt proceedings, he also said that the monitoring committee was not sealing thousands of unauthorised buildings following which the apex court observed: "You (Tiwari) give us a list of those places, we'll make you the sealing officer."

Tiwari replied that he was willing to become a sealing officer to make the city a better liveable and lawful place within four years.

He also requested a bench, headed by Justice Madan B Lokur, to abandon the monitoring committee and allow him to assist the court in the sealing drive.

"The deponent (Tiwari) most respectfully submits that he is ready and willing to accept the role of Sealing Officer to assist this court in executing its directions with regard to the sealing actions to clean the city and to make it a better place to live," the affidavit read.