Councillors call for Allah Ditta to quit (From Worcester News)
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Councillors call for Allah Ditta to quit
11:30am Wednesday 5th September 2012 in News By Tom Edwards
UNDER FIR: Allah Ditta
ANGRY politicians have called for Allah Ditta to resign from his position as chairman of a council committee, saying they have “no confidence” in him.
Councillor Ditta, who threatened to dig up a dead man’s body during a row with a grieving family, was told by Worcester’s Labour group to step down as chairman of the city council’s Hopmarket sub-committee.
The committee manages the retail properties and apartments at the Hopmarket and is responsible for allocating more than £100,000 of income each year to needy causes.
During a tense meeting, at the Guildhall on Monday, Labour councillor Geoff Williams said “in view of the recent events” Coun Ditta could not command any confidence.
Mr Ditta was recently embroiled in a row with the family of a dead Muslim man, whose body he threatened to dig up if they did not pay him £400 for work he claims he did on the grave.
The family dispute the bill, claiming Mr Ditta has never carried out any work. The row erupted while Mr Ditta was acting as a volunteer for Worcester’s Muslim Cemetery committee, and not as a city councillor.
But Coun Williams said: “I’ve always believed, when you become a councillor, you should always demonstrate high standards of transparency and probity, whether you are acting on behalf of the council or not.
“Frankly, given the events of last week I’m surprised you are here chairing this – I’ve seen your apology, but there are clearly a large number of questions which have been raised for you to answer.
“I would urge you to take some time out to consider your position.”
Coun Ditta responded: “This is just mischief making by the Labour Party, I won’t accept that.”
However, a motion of no confidence by Coun Williams could not be voted on following advice from the council’s head of legal services, Doreen Porter, who pointed out that it wasn’t up to the committee to sack Coun Ditta as he had been appointed to his role by full council.
During the debate, Conservative councillor Jabba Riaz said he thought it was “very sad” but three of his fellow party colleagues, Gareth Jones, Stephen Hodgson and David Tibbutt , remained silent.
As your Worcester News first reported last week, Mr Ditta was secretly recorded threatening to “dig up” the body of Monuhor Ali at the city’s Muslim cemetery.
Mr Ali’s family are in the process of sending a complaint to the city council about his behaviour.
Comments(14)
Truepear
says...
12:35pm Wed 5 Sep 12
Having listened to the audio i am appalled. I feel for the family concerned.
Tim Woodward
says...
12:38pm Wed 5 Sep 12
Either way, I don't know what race has to do with it. The other Conservative Cllrs , well obviously not towing the party line and defending fellow cllr's , no safety in numbers anymore!
keeneye
says...
1:26pm Wed 5 Sep 12
More Tea Vicar
says...
4:10pm Wed 5 Sep 12
Tim Woodward wrote:Race has a lot to do with Mr Ditta. He was welcomed because of it when he became mayor. And he seems to have dealt mainly with his own 'community'. There is a letter in today's Worcester News to that effect, too.
From what I can make of the article is Mr Riaz sad of Mr Ditta or Sad at the comments by Coun Williams? Either way, I don't know what race has to do with it. The other Conservative Cllrs , well obviously not towing the party line and defending fellow cllr's , no safety in numbers anymore!
And though the wording is ambiguous, it does seem Mr Riaz has a different attitude to the non Asians, whether by coincidence or not.
Tim Woodward
says...
4:46pm Wed 5 Sep 12
More Tea Vicar
says...
6:50pm Wed 5 Sep 12
Truepear wrote:The local Conservative Party is a bit of an embarrassment, really, and must be a huge disappointment to the average Tory voter or member.
As a supporter of the Tory Party i am embarrassed that i have voted for many years for this individual who is clearly not fit for office and of suspect character. I am now seriously considering other parties for the next election as i feel the Worcester Conservatives are letting this individual do what he pleases. Having listened to the audio i am appalled. I feel for the family concerned.
They were elected on a false prospectus, both locally and nationally. Leaving the national picture aside, did many people voting Tory expect a mess like this? Or the taxi thing? Or the South Worcestershire Wrecking Plan?
I suspect not.
The Tories need to change, or they will carry on losing seats. UKIP already lost them one, and I can see it happening again.
TDH123
says...
7:15am Thu 6 Sep 12
Voice of the Voyager
says...
10:00am Thu 6 Sep 12
Why have not the 'coalition' members brought the matter to a head? Or dont any of them want to lose power if it all collapses?
Leadership requires tough decisions Mr Geraghty, not just the kudos the post brings. Wield the knife and maybe, just maybe, the Conservatives might retain some credibility in all of this disgraceful charade.
Oh - and this from a middle of the road Tory voter, but not impressed one bit.
Oh - have the last tax statements and accounts as submitted to HMRC been made available yet, on behalf of Worcester Muslim Funeral Services? Indeed, if this is a front for Mr Ditta then he is in breach of the law by not declaring this in the interests of members.
But we should not be asking these questions - the Conservatives should be directly to Mr Ditta, in an 'interview without coffee'.
adilfrraz
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11:37am Thu 6 Sep 12
adilfrraz
says...
11:37am Thu 6 Sep 12
Truepear
says...
2:44pm Thu 6 Sep 12
'EVERYONEFEARS ALLAH DITTA FAMILY': Court claim as four accused over attack on city councillor
A CITY councillor needed 19 stitches after violence erupted outside his home, a court heard.
Allah Ditta was taken to hospital suffering from two head cuts in the Arboretum attack last year.
But barristers at Worcester Crown Court accused Coun Ditta, the Conservative member for the All Saints ward, of sparking the trouble between two families.
Peter Arnold, defence counsel for one defendant - Hafiz Sabir - claimed "everyone is in fear" of the Ditta family.
And Andrew Fisher, representing another defendant, Tahira Maqsood, said she had made repeated complaints about them.
Sabir, aged 51, of Rose Avenue, Tolladine, admitted wounding Coun Ditta last October. He also admitted violent disorder.
Tanveer Ahmed, 31, of Nelson Road, St John's, admitted threatening behaviour. He denied affray and was given a not guilty verdict by Judge Michael Mott.
Maqsood, 28, of Southfield Street, Arboretum, denied violent disorder. She was also found not guilty but agreed to be bound over in the sum of £250 to keep the peace for 12 months.
The judge adjourned the case and ordered pre-sentence reports on Sabir, Ahmed and a fourth defendant, Asif Munir, who admitted on an earlier occasion to violent disorder and common assault.
Evidence will be given by witnesses on the day of sentence because of a dispute over the facts.
Stephen Thomas, prosecuting, said Mr Ditta and another man were attacked with weapons after the defendants gathered outside Mr Ditta's home. A woman from the Ditta family had her hair pulled. Maqsood was present.
Mr Arnold said Sabir took responsibility for Coun Ditta's injuries. Mr Lal Khan also suffered head injuries.
But Mr Arnold said Sabir did not accept the prosecution's claim that he struck Mr Khan. Also in dispute was the identity of the person who had introduced the weapons.
Mr Arnold said Sabir insisted that Mr Ditta had a weapon and he wrestled it from his grasp before striking with it.
"The background is one of repeated complaints by Tahira Maqsood of conduct by the complainant's family," said Mr Fisher. "Tensions and difficulties have been going on for a long time."
Adam Western, for Ahmed, said he had only used threatening words after he believed a member of his family was in danger.
"He was acting as peacemaker. There'd been six or seven months of provocation against this family."
The prosecutor said Munir had taken on the role of "fall-guy" by his admissions. But he may have admitted more than he was actually responsible for.
Truepear
says...
2:50pm Thu 6 Sep 12
Truepear
says...
2:51pm Thu 6 Sep 12
More Tea Vicar says...
12:16pm Wed 5 Sep 12
It's interesting that Mr Riaz seems to have a slightly different view of this than the other, possibly white, Tories.
A lot was made, by local Tories and media, of Mr Ditta's ethnicity when he was elected. Maybe this is yet another area where the Tory leadership is out of touch with the membership.
I feel very strongly that there should be powers of re-call for councillors, so that in cases of wrong-doing or misconduct, voters get the chance to provoke a by-election.