"Judges sit in this cozy area where nobody comes to question them", says Manoj Tiwari
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari today defended his action of breaking the lock of a building, which was sealed by the civic body, on the orders of the Supreme Court monitored committee in September. "Judges sit in this cozy area where nobody comes to question them. People question me, I am responsible," Mr Tiwari told the court.
The BJP leader said that he "did nothing that amounts to contempt of court." The Supreme Court reserved its order on a contempt notice against Mr Tiwari.
The monitoring committee countered the allegations made by Mr Tiwari of "terrorizing the people of Delhi" by carrying out sealing drive in unauthorised colonies. "The owner of the house didn't complain and paid the fine" but Mr Tiwari broke the lock and protested to grab media attention, said the committee.
Mr Tiwari had earlier told the court that he had broken the seal of the premises as a "symbolic protest" against what he called the illegal actions of officials of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation and was willing to accept the role of 'sealing officer' as suggested by the top court.
The Supreme Court on September 25, slammed the BJP leader for violating its directions on the sealing of illegal structures in the national capital, and said that being a lawmaker does not give him liberty to take the law in his hands.
Mr Tiwari had also accused the AAP government of adopting a 'pick and choose' method and questioned why five to seven storeyed buildings in areas like Okhla, Jamia, Shahin Bagh, Noor Nagar and Johari Farms were not touched.