NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday lashed out at the BJP, saying the party is driving Delhi towards destruction. The Delhi CM accused the BJP of playing petty politics that aims to take away the shelter of millions of residents. “BJP is scripting the biggest catastrophe ever seen in Indian history by bulldozing the homes and shops of 63 lakh Delhiites,” Kejriwal said. “About 50 lakh Delhiites live in unauthorised colonies, and 10 lakh in JJ clusters. MCD has marked three lakh more properties for demolition. All these people will be rendered homeless,” he said.
“We are completely against such politics. If we start assessing, over 80 per cent of Delhi will come under the ambit of encroachment. Will BJP destroy 80 per cent of the national capital to polish its politics?” the Delhi chief minister said, pointing out that it was the BJP that had given the slogan, ‘Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makan’ before the Delhi polls.
Kejriwal also asked if the BJP has the constitutional power and merit to take out such a big drive, since its term in the MCD ends on May 18. “Get the MCD elections done, and whoever forms the new MCD government should take a call on this matter,” he said, promising regularising and giving people of unauthorised colonies ownership of their homes.
Adding that AAP is also against illegal settlements and encroachments, Kejriwal said, “There are two important factors we must not sideline in this case. One, Delhi is not a planned city. Two, the method of eradicating encroachment that the BJP has resorted to is improper. There are no documents being considered, no timely notices or warnings being issued. They are simply barging into colonies with bulldozers and demolishing homes and shops as they please.”