NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been making every possible effort to convince residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi that it was the Central government which paved the way for conferring ownership rights for properties in those settlements while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) couldn’t do it in the five years of its rule.
In addition to running multiple campaigns and camps for ‘educating’ people living in 1,797 illegal colonies built on government or private agricultural land, the state leadership has now directed its district and block-level workers to help them in submission of applications for the conveyance deeds of their properties.
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Senior Delhi BJP functionaries said that in the next few weeks, several leaders, including MPs and MLAs, would be holding public meetings and reaching out to people to inform them that the Centre’s decision was not a ‘political gimmick’ ahead of the assembly polls.
“Our workers and leaders will help property owners in applying for the ownership right. The objective is to convey a message that the move was not a poll promise but to provide relief to them, who have been living under pressure for years. We are hopeful that the registry will start in the next couple of weeks before the model code of conduct comes into force,” said a functionary.
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Another Delhi BJP leader said that the party might organise a ceremony where Prime Minister Narendra Modi would hand over the conveyance deeds to some residents of illegal colonies. The Union Cabinet, on October 23, cleared the proposal paving the way for conferring property rights to people living in these colonies. Forty lakh people are likely to benefit from the Centre’s decision. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has been made the nodal agency to carry out demarcation of the colonies.
Last week, a group of about 200 representatives of various RWAs of unauthorised colonies, along with Delhi BJP leaders, met Modi to express their gratitude for the Centre’s decision.
“Our workers will also assist residents to upload their documents and coordinate with empanelled agencies to get the geo-coordinates of their plot fixed and drawings made to expedite the progress,” Delhi BJP media co-incharge Neelkant Bakshi said. In the next couple of weeks, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari will be addressing 42 public meetings and staying with residents of those colonies.