BJP was illegally getting two dilapidated buildings merged in RK Puram constituency which led to a fatal collapse: Durgesh Pathak
The MCD itself stated that it had served a notice on March 31 over the illegal construction; despite this BJP did not stop: Durgesh Pathak
It has been 24 hours; not one arrest has been made; no one has been interrogated; evident that BJP is pressurising the police: Durgesh Pathak
For days BJP has been getting bulldozers run over houses without notice but took up illegal construction itself despite the notice: Durgesh Pathak
AAP demands that the Delhi Police register a murder case against the culprits immediately: Durgesh Pathak
The MCD Mayor himself said that a notice over the fatal condition of the building was served 15 days back: Pramila Tokas
I demand compensation for all the victims and strictest possible action against the leaders behind it: Pramila Tokas
NEW DELHI
The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday slammed the BJP, after it was exposed as the real culprit behind the death of two workers in the Satyaniketan Building Collapse. AAP Senior Leader and MCD in-charge Shri Durgesh Pathak stated, “Illegal construction was going on at the site at behest of BJP leaders. BJP was illegally getting two dilapidated buildings merged in RK Puram constituency which led to a fatal collapse. The MCD itself stated that it had served a notice on March 31 over the illegal construction; despite this BJP did not stop. It has been 24 hours; not one arrest has been made, no one has been interrogated, it is evident that BJP is pressurising the police. For days BJP has been getting bulldozers run over houses without notice but took up illegal construction itself despite the notice. AAP demands that the Delhi Police register a murder case against the culprits immediately.” At the same time, AAP RK Puram MLA Smt Pramila Tokas said, “The MCD Mayor himself said that a notice over the fatal condition of the building was served 15 days back. I demand compensation for all the victims and strictest possible action against the leaders behind it.”
AAP Senior Leader and MCD In-Charge Shri Durgesh Pathak said, “Yesterday, a truly harrowing incident took place at Satya Niketan in the RK Puram Vidhan Sabha. A building collapsed mid construction which caused two workers to lose their life then and there itself, and endangered several other people who have sustained injuries that landed them in the hospital, with their life hanging in the balance. We hope and pray for a speedy recovery of all those injured in this distressing accident. It is however of utmost importance for us to understand the factors which led to this unfortunate accident in the first place. If there is one concerned agency which is to be blamed for this collapse, it is the BJP led MCD, and if any individuals must be singled out to hold accountable, it is the BJP leaders. I am assigning this blame to the BJP solely because the construction work which was taking place was aimed at consolidating House No. 172 and 173 – something which is illegal, and the BJP itself admits to this. On 31st March, the BJP-led MCD issued a notice to this construction project calling it illegal, despite which the work continued.”
He further said, “Hence, the question arises as to why the construction was not abandoned even after the MCD issued a notice. The House No. 172 is registered under the name of one Neelam Vashisht, a relative of the highly influential BJP leader Anil Sharma, who has served as councillor from RK Puram and was the BJP candidate over the last two elections. This clearly means that the notice was an act, and the construction work continued under BJP’s cognizance given the relation of the house owner with a significant party leader. Hence, BJP leader Anil Sharma and his entire family is to be held accountable for this perilous accident, which could have been avoided were it not for BJP’s family favours. There is no way that a construction as major as combining two houses can take place under the MCD without BJP’s connivance in the matter.”
He continued, “It is noteworthy that it has been around 24 hours since the structure collapse, but not a single person has been arrested in the matter, nor has anyone been called in for questioning. No public notice has been issued either, and there is no sign of any investigation being launched which tells us that the BJP has complete control over the police as well. This entire incident is nothing but a cold blooded murder for which the BJP, its leaders, and their endless hooliganism and corruption are responsible. No action has been taken against any potential perpetrators till now which tells us that the police are operating under pressure from the BJP. Moreover, people have been displaced and their homes have been demolished without notice across Delhi.”
He added, “Today, BJP leaders are barging into people’s homes forcing them to pay ransom in order to protect their houses. They are threatening people with getting their homes demolished. On the other hand, here, illegal construction was going on rapidly even after they had been served a notice on March 31. This points towards a clear case of corruption. Either BJP leaders have gobbled up exorbitant sums to let it happen or were trying to protect the greed of their family members. I appeal to the Delhi Police to file a murder case against the accused and take the strictest possible action against them. If at all there’s no action by the police in the coming days it will become clear that the BJP is involved in the act.”
Also present at the presser was Smt Pramila Tokas, the local MLA from AAP. She has been leading the rescue efforts from the ground, be it first-aid, evacuation or taking the victims to the hospital and getting the debris cleared. She stated, “The Mayor got a notice served to the landlord that the building is in a dilapidated state. How is it possible that they could let construction take place at such an hazardous building? The locals say that the owner was getting a basement dug up at the site, and the moment they began excavation at the site, the situation only worsened, eventually leading to the unfortunate death of two workers. How the construction was going on is just beyond me. The local councillor Manish Aggarwal lives right next to the site, the ex-MLA of the area also lives there. The locals say that the building belongs to their families only. It is the BJP who is being shielded.”
She continued, “When I reached the spot, there wasn’t a single MCD official or leader present, no one from the family of the ex-MLA or councillor. No one from the BJP was there. The collapse wasn’t some accident, these people were demolishing a whole pillar of the building. Notably, they are doing the same thing in plot number 172 of the lane. If it can happen in plot 173, plot 172 is just a disaster waiting. Both the plots are owned by the same people, they have illegally taken over a gully to merge both the houses. The locals even alleged that some workers there were underaged. I demand the MCD to pay compensation to the families of the victims. I demand the strictest of the action against the culprits. I ask the BJP — will they run the bulldozer on their own illegal construction or is it just meant for the poor?”