NEW DELHI: Upping the ante on Jhuggi politics, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday issued a bold challenge to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, declaring that he would not contest the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections if the central government withdrew all cases related to slum demolitions and provided a court undertaking to rehabilitate displaced residents on their original land.
Speaking from the Railway Camp in the Shakur Basti constituency, Kejriwal accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of exploiting slum-dwellers for political gains, labeling their outreach as “jhuggi tourism.”
“We recently saw BJP leaders spending nights in various slums. Why now? Why didn’t they do this 10 years ago? This is nothing but a drama to get votes,” Kejriwal said.
He further accused the BJP-led central government of prioritizing land over the welfare of slum residents, citing the recent decision by the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) to change the land use of the Shakur Basti area, allegedly to facilitate demolitions. He also alleged that the Railways issued a tender in September to demolish the railway camp slum, despite promises made under the “Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makan” scheme.
Targeting Shah directly, Kejriwal accused him of using slum residents to score political points. “Shah abused me at an event yesterday while claiming to care for jhuggi residents. They say ‘Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makan,’ but for whom? Not for the slum residents—only for their builder friends. Everyone knows who benefits when slums are cleared,” he said.
Kejriwal issued a direct ultimatum to Shah, urging him to withdraw all legal cases against slum-dwellers and provide a court affidavit guaranteeing houses for all displaced residents on their original land. “If you do this, I will not contest the elections. This is my challenge to you. But if you don’t, I will fight the elections, win, and stand firmly with the slum people to protect their homes,” he declared.
He also warned the voters against supporting the BJP, Kejriwal said, “Voting for them is like signing your own suicide note. They have plans to demolish all slums in Delhi within a year of coming to power,” Kejriwal claimed.