NEW DELHI: Delhi Congress on Monday staged a protest march near the Vidhan Sabha on the first day of the monsoon session against the recent eviction of thousands of slum dwellers and demanded their rehabilitation.
The protest was led by Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav. As the protesters marched towards the Vidhan Sabha, they were stopped by the police, who used water cannons to disperse them and detained several demonstrators.
During the protest, party workers raised slogans and held banners. Yadav said that Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, had visited the displaced slum dwellers and assured them of all possible help and support to ensure their proper resettlement.
Following his visit, the Rekha Gupta-led government decided not to demolish any slum clusters without providing alternate accommodation, he claimed.
“Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the demolished slum clusters gave fresh hope to the poor people. He also raised the issue in Parliament, forcing the Delhi government to suddenly halt the ongoing demolitions. In the coming days, Congress workers will visit every JJ cluster to show the party’s support and solidarity,” Yadav said in a statement.
The Congress also claimed that Yadav was detained by the police and taken to the Subzi Mandi police station.
The party demanded that slum dwellers who have been uprooted should be provided with alternate housing at the same locations they previously occupied. Yadav said that during Congress rule, in-situ flats were built for slum dwellers at places like Bhoomiheen Camp in Kalkaji, Jailorwala Bagh in Ashok Vihar, and Katputhli Colony.
Recalling the words of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Yadav said, “She believed that those who come to Delhi from various parts of the country with hope should be provided with jobs and roofs over their heads to live with dignity.” He added that nearly 45 resettlement colonies were established under her leadership, and the Sheila Dikshit-led government later built around 48,000 flats to rehabilitate slum dwellers.
He strongly criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), alleging that despite coming to power by making grand promises to the poor, the party had completely neglected them. “AAP did not even allot the already constructed flats, letting them deteriorate without any care or maintenance,” he said.
Yadav also recalled his earlier statement, noting that when 3,000 JJ clusters were bulldozed—leaving 15,000 residents homeless during the peak summer—only Rahul Gandhi stepped forward to support them and assured them of help.