BJP-led MCD intends to uproot the lives of 63 lac innocent Delhiites and render them homeless: Saurabh Bhardwaj
More than half the properties in Delhi have some trace of unauthorised construction; BJP intends to raze down all these homes: Saurabh Bhardwaj
If anyone’s homes have to be demolished it should be of those BJP leaders who have let the encroachments come up in Delhi by taking bribes: Saurabh Bhardwaj
NEW DELHI:
The Aam Aadmi Party has once again exposed BJP’s conspiracy to wreak havoc all over the National Capital. The BJP is terrorising the people with baseless demolition orders. Speaking out against the BJP’s flagrant extortion and absurd ‘bulldozer’ justice, AAP Chief Spokesperson and MLA Shri Saurabh Bhardwaj stated – The BJP is hell bent on destroying the entire city of Delhi in the name of clearing unauthorised constructions. The BJP-led MCD intends to uproot the lives of 63 lac innocent Delhiites and render them homeless based on preposterous demolition orders. More than half the properties in Delhi have some trace of unauthorised construction, and the BJP intends to ransack all these places. The corrupt BJP leaders who have enabled unsanctioned constructions by charging exorbitant bribes should have their homes demolished first. The Aam Aadmi Party demands that MCD elections be held at the earliest so that Delhi residents can choose their desired government to run the MCD, and the subsequently elected MCD must take decisions regarding these demolitions.
AAP Chief Spokesperson and MLA Shri Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “Over the past 15 days, we have been witnessing how the BJP-ruled MCD and the Delhi Police are collectively terrorising the people of Delhi with their ‘bulldozer’ justice. They are hell bent on ransacking the entire National Capital and leaving it in ruins. The Aam Aadmi Party also stands against illegal construction and encroachment, and so does the entire population of Delhi. No one wishes for unsanctioned property expansions or constructions to take place. But the recent events warrant the question that when the BJP has been in power in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for the past 15 years, who allowed these illegal settlements and encroachments to happen in the first place? The answer is crystal clear – the BJP openly enabled these unauthorised settlements. According to the information that the Delhi Government has received, it appears that the BJP-led MCD aims to displace lacs of Delhi residents from their localities and leave them homeless.”
He elaborated, “Around 50 lac Delhi residents live in unauthorised colonies. When these colonies were demarcated, the BJP-led MCD charged exorbitant amounts as bribes. Subsequently, when the construction began taking place in these localities, the MCD officers, Junior Engineers, councillors, all the way up to selective high profile BJP leaders received money yet again. Only after this money reached their pockets did these land allotments and constructions take place. Notices were issued regarding the unauthorised development, despite which the building construction continued. There are 50 lac people living in some 1750 such colonies, 10 lac people living in slum clusters, and some 3 lac people who live in DDA colonies, but have made minor adjustments in their homes like expansion of balconies and roofs, construction of an extra room on the terrace/garden, and so on. All these are prone to the BJP’s bulldozer threat, and can be demolished any second. This means that there are 63 lac such people in Delhi whose property the BJP wishes to demolish – to uproot their lives and wreck their homes and businesses. This is the plan made by the BJP-led MCD to wreak havoc on the lives of Delhi residents and destroy the National Capital.”
He continued, “Each and every one of these unauthorised constructions which have taken place in Delhi over the past 15 years have happened with BJP-led MCD’s cognizance and permission as a result of large amounts of money as bribe. Hence, the Aam Aadmi Party asserts that these bulldozers should first be run over the homes of those MCD officers, BJP councillors and mayors who have enabled these unsanctioned constructions by committing flagrant corruption and pocket large sums of money in the process. We demand that the corrupt officers and councillors who have squandered these gigantic amounts of money should be the ones exposed to homelessness and displacement, not the innocent population of 63 lac Delhi residents. A video of the residence of BJP Delhi State President and Councillor Adesh Gupta was displayed on a private channel, and it was informed that not only has he had unauthorised construction take place at his house, but he has occupied government land to do so. Hence, he is the first person whose home should be bulldozed. The Aam Aadmi Party demands that now that the BJP’s MCD tenure is essentially over, MCD elections should be held at the earliest. The people of Delhi should be given the democratic opportunity to choose their desired government to run the MCD, and the subsequently elected MCD should have the power to decide where these demolitions should take place.”
Shri Saurabh Bhardwaj further said, “As an example, I have with me a demolition order from the MCD, which reads: ‘Action Program w.e.f 4th May 2022 to 13th May 2022 for removal of encroachments in various locations in South Delhi under SDMC.’ This includes one, Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital Road, Malviya Nagar – I ask Adesh Gupta, where in this locality do these unauthorised settlers live? I go there everyday, but I am not aware of any such settlements. It further mentions Qutub Institutional Area, Gautam Nagar, PVR Saket D-Block. This list even includes the name of the very place I was born and brought up in – Chirag Delhi Main Road, which is well known to be inhabited by Jat and Brahmin populations. If Adesh Gupta believes that these places contain unauthorised properties, then I believe it is high time he gets mental treatment. He is more than welcome to Chirag Delhi, where people are willing to treat him for free. It further lists Arjan Garh Metro Station, D1-D2 market Vasant Kunj, MG Road CDR Chowk in Chhatarpur, Bhikaji Cama Place metro station and surrounding areas, Shiv Park in Khanpur, and SSN Marg Ward 70 – reading this absurd list of locations gives the impression that Adesh Gupta and his team that issued this order themselves do not live in Delhi.”
Citing a second example of BJP’s baseless demolition orders, he said, “Another demolition order that the BJP-led MCD has issued includes the following places – Yusuf Sarai market, a place which is right next to AIIMS that I have been visiting and crossing for decades now while commuting across Delhi. There is no scope of any illegal settlement or encroachment in Yusuf Sarai. It further lists Adchini Village to Police Training Centre (PTS), Mehrauli-Badarpur (MB) Road, and Malviya Nagar main market – now if people are illegally residing in here and are being threatened with a bulldozer by the BJP-led MCD, then I believe the entire Central Government should tender its resignation. That is how ridiculous this claim made by Adesh Gupta and his team is. The order continues, mentioning Hansraj Gupta Road in GK-I, which is where NDTV headquarters are, again claiming the existence of unauthorised settlements there; Inder Mohan Bhardwaj Marg in GK-II which runs from Savitri Cinema to Tara Apartments and is lined with lavish bungalows on both sides and ends with Gangotri and Shivalik Apartments – again leaving no scope for the falsely claimed unauthorised encroachments. The order ends with the renowned surrounding areas of Chhatarpur Mandir and I highly doubt that the matters have reached a height where these illegal settlers have started residing from across this well-known temple.”
He concluded, “These absurd orders have helped us prove that the entire ‘demolition drive’ which the BJP-led MCD is running across Delhi simply for the sake of extortion and pocketing crores. It aims to terrorise the people of Delhi, pressure them into paying up, and threatening those who refuse with a bulldozer.”