Controversy arises over Gurugram mayor’s husband appointed as advisor

BJP’s Gurugram mayor Raj Rani Malhotra. File.
| Photo Credit: PTI

The appointment of Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Gurugram Mayor Raj Rani’s husband as her advisor has embroiled in a controversy with the Congress terming it against the “spirit” of Constitutional provisions meant to politically empower women by reserving seats for them in the Parliament and the Panchayati Raj institutions.

Ms. Rani had registered a landslide win over the Congress’ Seema Pahuja with over 1,79,485 votes in the election to the mayor for Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) last month. The seat for the Gurugram’s mayor was reserved for a woman belonging to Backward Class-A category.

The Gurugram Municipal Commissioner appointed Ms. Rani’s husband Tilak Raj as advisor to her in an order dated April 21. “Shri Tilak Raj shall function in an advisory capacity and shall assist the Hon’ble Mayor in matters as may be assigned to him by Hon’ble Mayor from time to time,” reads the order.

The one-page order says the appointment is purely “honorary and voluntary in nature”, and Mr. Raj was not “entitled to any salary, remuneration, honorarium and any other financial benefit” from the MCG in respect of the said assignment.

Congress leader Pearl Choudhary, the party’s Pataudi Vidhan Sabha candidate in the last election, however, posted a message on her “X” account, saying it was “a mockery of the Constitution and the soul of women empowerment”.

Speaking to The Hindu, Ms. Choudhary said it was not just “immoral”, but also an attempt by the Mayor’s husband to make a backdoor entry and run the corporation on her behalf. Questioning the purpose of reserving seats for the women candidates in Parliament and the Panchayati Raj institutions if their husband or the male relatives were allowed to run the show in their place, Ms. Choudhary said it was against the “spirit of the Constitution”. “Any experienced women leader from the BJP, such as former Mayor Madhu Azad, could be appointed her advisor,” she suggested.

On the one hand BJP claims to oppose the dynasty politics, and on the other promotes it by making such appointments, alleged Ms. Choudhary.

Mr. Raj did not respond to repeated calls and messages to seek his response to Congress’ allegations.