BJP must explain on what basis the North MCD illegally gave a licence to building owner Manish Lakra when commercial activity is banned in Lal Dora Extension: Atishi
All around Delhi, BJP councillors are promoting unauthorised building constructions and issuing illegal licences: Atishi
Due to BJP’s flagrant corruption, and illegal construction and commercial activities, lives and property of Delhiites are being endangered: Atishi
Aam Aadmi Party demands that the BJP-led North MCD be thoroughly investigated for granting illegal commercial licences in Lal Dora Extension: Atishi
NEW DELHI:
BJP’s blatant misgovernance has actively put people’s lives at risk in Delhi. Speaking out against BJP’s corruption and illegal licensing, AAP Senior Leader and MLA Ms Atishi stated – It is the BJP who is solely responsible for the Mundka fire, which took 27 innocent lives because a BJP leader was illegally running a business in the Lal Dora Extension after the North MCD maliciously granted him a license despite the ban. The BJP must explain on what basis the North MCD gave a licence to building owner Manish Lakra when commercial activity is illegal in Lal Dora Extension. All around Delhi, BJP councillors are promoting unauthorised building constructions and issuing illegal licences. Due to BJP’s flagrant corruption, their illegal construction and commercial activities, lives and property of Delhi residents are being endangered. The Aam Aadmi Party demands that the BJP-led North MCD be thoroughly investigated for granting illegal commercial licences in Lal Dora Extension.
AAP Senior Leader and MLA Ms Atishi said, “On 13th May, a harrowing incident took place in Delhi where a building in Mundka caught fire. The incident was so severe that 27 people lost their lives to it, and 8 out of those had their bodies disfigured to the point that they have not been identified till date. People all over Delhi as well as the country are curious to know who is behind this tragic fire. How is it that unauthorised construction and illegal activity at such a large scale had been taking place and no one dared to question or take action against it? The building in Mundka which was ablaze was situated on a stretch of land in Lal Dora Extension, where no one is permitted to run commercial businesses as per the law. Despite this, how were commercial activities operating through this particular building? Who permitted these businesses to operate in this building, due to which we have lost 27 innocent lives today? Each and every Delhi resident is well aware of who caused the unauthorised construction and permitted illegal commercial activities to take place — because the only people responsible for running such illegal activities throughout Delhi are the BJP leaders and its councillors.”
She continued, “Every incident of unauthorised construction in Delhi takes place with the blessings of BJP councillors and leaders, where they arrive to extort money and pocket their share with the blink of an eye. Similar is the case for illegal commercial activities which are enabled and permitted by the BJP-ruled MCD after they extort their desired amount of money. The Mundka building is a prime example of BJP-led MCD’s blatant misgovernance and corruption. We have documents which prove that BJP-ruled North MCD permitted commercial activities to operate from the building in Mundka – the owner of the building, Manish Lakra, was given this licence despite the fact that the law states that no commercial businesses can run in the Lal Dora Extension. How did the BJP issue this licence to Manish Lakra when it was strictly illegal to do so? The answer to this is clear, as the BJP only has two goals, first being extortion, and second to protect and support the criminals and goons that the party is harbouring.”
She further added, “There is photographic evidence to show that Manish Lakra, the owner of the building which caught fire in Mundka, is a BJP leader. He can be seen campaigning with BJP leader Sahib Singh Verma’s relative in one picture, and donning the BJP patka in another. This proves that the BJP issued a licence to carry out commercial activities in an otherwise prohibited area to their own party leader. This is merely one such example and we will find countless similar cases throughout Delhi where BJP leaders, councillors, and goons have extorted money from people and distributed illegal licences. Today, if any such building in Delhi catches fire or collapses as a result of unauthorised construction, its responsibility will lie solely with the BJP.”
She concluded, “For the past 15 years that the BJP has held power in the MCD, all kinds of illegal activities have taken place in their cognizance, with their blessings, as a result of their extortion and corruption. The Aam Aadmi Party demands immediate investigation into the matter – to find out how the BJP gave out a commercial activity licence to a building located in the Lal Dora Extension. We also demand to bring to public notice all such licences which the BJP has illegally issued, which have now posed a grave threat to the lives of everyone living in Delhi.”