COUNCILORS OUTRAGED BY MAYOR’S STATEMENT

COUNCILORS OUTRAGED BY MAYOR’S STATEMENT

22-MAY-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

SASARAM----------------------------At Maya Lodge in Sasaram, 12 ward councilors of the Sasaram Municipal Corporation held a joint press conference, effectively launching a frontal attack against Mayor Kajal Kumari. The councilors expressed strong objection to a news report published on May 13, 2026, in which the Mayor allegedly referred to the councilors as a "gang of looters," terming this remark as defamatory to public representatives and an assault on democratic values.

During the press briefing, the councilors asserted that they are representatives elected by the public, and addressing them with derogatory terms such as "gang of goons" or "looters" causes grave injury to their social standing. They stated that the Mayor's language is not only disrespectful but also runs contrary to the dignity of the office held by a responsible public representative.

The councilors also raised questions regarding the functioning of the Municipal Corporation. They alleged that development schemes proposed by councilors during Board meetings are deliberately excluded from the agenda. They further claimed that the Mayor is abusing her authority to make arbitrary decisions, thereby undermining the democratic framework of the Corporation.

Several serious allegations were also leveled during the press conference. The councilors claimed that they are frequently pressured to sign files pertaining to development projects that have, in reality, never been executed on the ground. Citing this practice as a violation of the Municipal Act and the principles of financial transparency, they demanded an impartial inquiry into the entire matter.

Furthermore, the councilors complained that they are not informed about development works or foundation-laying ceremonies taking place within their respective wards. They alleged that the Mayor and the Municipal Commissioner are acting in collusion to bypass established rules while making decisions, a practice that is progressively eroding the role and authority of the public's elected representatives. The press conference was attended primarily by Ward 24 Councilor Arisha Hussain, Ward 44 Councilor Kela Devi, Ward 45 Councilor Anuj Kumar, Ward 07 Councilor Amit Kumar, Ward 23 Councilor Rajesh Kumar, Ward 30 Councilor Dhan Kesari Devi, Ward 21 Councilor Gulshan Afroz, and Ward 09 Councilor Dashmi Devi, among other councilors.

All 12 councilors issued a unanimous warning: if the Mayor does not improve her working style and if the dignity and rights of the elected representatives are not safeguarded, they will escalate this entire matter to higher authorities and the courts, demanding legal action.