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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
AAP protests outside Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa's office for ‘insulting' slum dwellers
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s Poorvanchali wing Monday staged a protest outside the office of Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa in Rajouri Garden, for allegedly calling those whose houses have been demolished as 'Rohingyas.' On Sunday, the AAP launched a massive protest against the demolitions taking place in Delhi. After the AAP's leaders and former ministers protested at Jantar Mantar Sunday, Sirsa told reporters, 'I want to tell Kejriwal ji that you can stand up for the Rohingya and Bangladeshi people as much as you want, but they will not be allowed to stay in the country under any circumstances. Arvind Kejriwal ji, if you have so much love and affection for them, then why don't you take them to your home and make them live with you?' A day later, the AAP leaders reached outside the minister's office in Rajouri Garden, demanding a public apology, saying his remarks were an insult to the migrant community from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. 'Manjinder Singh Sirsa has insulted the Purvanchali community living in Delhi's jhuggis by calling them 'Bangladeshi-Rohingyas,' AAP Delhi President Saurabh Bharadwaj said. Senior AAP leaders with roots in Bihar — MLA Sanjeev Jha and former MLA Rituraj Jha — were also present at the protest. 'The BJP is demolishing jhuggis across Delhi. These jhuggis are home to a large number of people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. On Sunday, many jhuggi residents had gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest. Instead of addressing their concerns, BJP Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa labelled them as Bangladeshis and Rohingyas,' Jha said. 'These are the same jhuggi residents with whom Sirsa and BJP leaders used to stay overnight during elections. They ate food with them, folded hands, and said, 'You are my mai-baap, vote for me and I will get your jhuggis regularised',' he added. Jha said, 'There are 50 to 60 lakh Poorvanchalis living in Delhi's jhuggis and informal colonies. The BJP has insulted them all.' The Delhi BJP spokesperson is yet to comment on the issue.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
BJP destroyed homes in just five months: Former CM Arvind Kejriwal
NEW DELHI: Hundreds of jhuggi residents from across the capital gathered at Jantar Mantar following widespread demolitions, responding to a mobilisation call by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Addressing the crowd, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said that it has only been five months since the BJP formed the government, and already the situation in Delhi has deteriorated to such an extent that people have been forced to gather in protest. Kejriwal alleged that PM Narendra Modi's real intention was never to provide homes to the poor but to wipe them out completely. 'What he truly meant was 'Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Maidan.' That's why, one by one, your homes are being razed to the ground,' he said. Comparing the PM's 'guarantee' to a fake product, he warned people not to fall for it again: 'Don't trust PM Modi's guarantees—they are counterfeit, hollow lies.' Speaking at the 'Ghar-Rozgar Bachao' campaign, Kejriwal said, 'It's only been five months since the BJP government was formed, and look at what they've done to Delhi already. They've pushed the city to such a state that people from all over Delhi are protesting at Jantar Mantar.' He recalled warning the public earlier: 'I had released a video message specifically for the poor and marginalised jhuggi residents. I clearly said—don't vote for them. Their eyes were always on your land. I told you that if they came to power, they'd demolish your jhuggis within a year.' 'I never imagined they would wreck the city in just five months,' he added. 'Why have so many people left their homes and gathered here? It's because they've sent in bulldozers, destroying Delhi inch by inch. People have no option left but to protest.' 'In this unbearable heat, with temperatures crossing 50 degrees Celsius, they are mercilessly tearing down jhuggis. Children are crying, education is disrupted, and families are being thrown onto the streets without a second thought,' he said. Kejriwal also pointed out that demolitions destroy livelihoods. 'Women work in nearby homes as domestic workers, men as drivers or guards. Once jhuggis are gone, their income disappears too,' he said. Meanwhile, AAP's protest sparked political backlash. BJP leaders accused AAP of promoting 'anarchist' and 'anti-national' sentiments. During the protest, Delhi Minister Gopal Rai issued a fiery ultimatum to the Centre: 'If you bulldoze homes without rehabilitation… we'll enter the PM's house and take control!'
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Political row snowballs over demolition drives in Delhi
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday got into a war of words over demolition drives being undertaken in the Capital. While the AAP's national convener Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the BJP-led Delhi government has gone back on its pre-poll promise of not disrupting slum clusters, BJP's Delhi unit chief Virendra Sachdeva said that Kejriwal had built a 'Sheeshmahal' for himself and questioned why slum dwellers were not given flats in Narela and Bawana, as the BJP has done. A demolition drive in Wazirpur on June 16. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo) On Sunday morning, Kejriwal led a protest rally at Jantar Mantar, wherein he attacked the BJP and accused it of 'ruining Delhi in just five months.' Urging slum dwellers to protest against demolition drives, he said they must not vote for the BJP or the Congress in future elections. Sachdeva, meanwhile, called Kejriwal's public rally a 'flop' and said the AAP leaders 'once again exposed their anarchic and unconstitutional character'. He said that the AAP leadership had been spreading confusion for a month, but 'the slum dwellers of Delhi have rejected this false campaign.' At Jantar Mantar, Kejriwal said, 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi (in run up to elections) had said 'Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makan', but what he meant was 'Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Maidan'. His promises are false and I urge you not to fall for them in future.' 'We had left a perfectly fine Delhi. But these people have ruined it. There are long power cuts, school fees have been hiked, and their ministers and MLAs are busy looting Delhi,' Kejriwal alleged. At the rally, dubbed as 'Ghar-Rozgar Bachao' movement, he urged the slum dwellers to unite. 'There are 40 lakh slum dwellers in the city. If you take to the roads, they will be forced to stop the demolitions,' Kejriwal said. 'The Anna movement started from this Jantar Mantar and it removed the Congress from power. From here, a new movement will begin, and the BJP's hold on power will also be shaken,' he said. In his 16-minute-long address, he also accused the BJP of targeting AAP leaders by lodging FIRs against them. 'Stop this game of FIRs and work for the people,' he said. Hundreds of rally participants were carrying placards with messages to save jhuggies and livelihoods, while some held images of the Constitution. 'I have four daughters who used to go to school but now cannot as they have to work,' said Santoshi Maurya, a resident of Jailorwala Bagh, whose house was demolished. 'Around 500 of us have not been allotted flats yet, despite having all the documents. The documents which the government allowed me to vote with, are now not enough,' she added. The political row comes amid a series of demolition drives at Wazirpur, Taimoor Nagar, Madrasi Camp, and Kalkaji, among other places. Delhi BJP chief Sachdeva alleged that the 'AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Gopal Rai, and others, in the name of slum dwellers, incited their workers to storm the Prime Minister's residence.' 'Ordinary slum residents in Delhi were asking Kejriwal: 'You've built a 'Sheeshmahal' for yourself in ten years — why haven't you allocated flats to the poor in places like Narela or Bawana?' he said. Sachdeva said that the BJP government was committed to giving a better life to slum dwellers, who were compelled to live in 'hellish conditions' along drains and railway tracks. 'Just as we have resettled slum dwellers from Kalkaji, Jailorwala Bagh, Kalandar Colony, and Kathputli Colony, going forward, through the 'Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makan' campaign, we will continue to provide new homes and new lives to slum residents,' he said. Delhi Congress chief Devendra Yadav said that Kejriwal was 'baking political bread' on the plight of the poor slum dwellers, as the AAP had failed to provide them a better life by implementing the in-situ construction of flats started by the Congress government. 'Over 11 years, the AAP government neither constructed any flat for the slum dwellers nor allotted the 45,000 flats constructed by the Congress government under the Rajiv Ratan Awas Yojna. Kejriwal is now shedding crocodile tears,' he said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makan' uplifting lives of people: BJP
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the BJP govt is committed to improving the lives of slum dwellers who are forced to live in "hell-like conditions" along drains and railway tracks. "Just as we resettled slum dwellers from Kalkaji, Jailorwala Bagh, Kalandar Colony, and Kathputli Colony, we will continue to provide new homes through the 'Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makan' campaign," he said. Sachdeva also lashed out at AAP leaders for inciting protest, alleging that they had announced an "attack" on the Prime Minister's residence. "Once again, the Naxal faces of Kejriwal and Gopal Rai were exposed," he said, referring to Rai's statement: "If you bulldoze homes without rehabilitation, use all your police and political power, we'll enter the PM's house and take control." He said the AAP leadership tried to mislead slum dwellers for nearly a month, but people have now started questioning AAP: 'What have you done in 10 years to improve our lives?' He criticised Kejriwal over the renovation of his official residence, saying, "You've built a 'Sheeshmahal' for yourself—why haven't you allotted flats to the poor in areas like Narela or Bawana?" BJP MP from South Delhi Ramvir Singh Bidhuri called AAP's Jantar Mantar rally a failed attempt by Kejriwal to revive his "politics of lies". He said, "The poor in Delhi's slums know PM Modi is fulfilling his promise of 'Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makan.' Thousands of flats have already been allotted, unlike during AAP's tenure when not a single slum dweller was given a home." You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Bidhuri questioned Kejriwal's rule, asking how many slum families were actually rehabilitated. "Over 50,000 flats built with central govt assistance were ready, but the Kejriwal govt failed to even identify beneficiaries. These homes remained vacant and fell into disrepair," he said. Now, with the BJP in power in Delhi, crores have been sanctioned to renovate them, he added. He further said that nearly 10,000 flats have already been allotted in colonies like Kalkaji and Kathputli, and more are being developed in areas such as Kusumpur Pahari, Okhla, among others. TNN
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Kejriwal warns BJP govt in Delhi may fall if slum demolitions continue
AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday warned that the Rekha Gupta-led BJP government in Delhi would not last even three years if slum demolitions continue, as he called for a mass movement against the drive from Jantar Mantar. The AAP organised a massive protest at the site under the banner of the 'Ghar-Rozgaar Bachao' movement. Senior party leader Gopal Rai challenged that if demolitions continue, people will take over the Prime Minister's residence. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva claimed that the AAP-organised rally "completely failed." "The announcement of an attack on the Prime Minister's residence has once again revealed the dark, Naxalite-like faces of Kejriwal and Gopal Rai and they should understand that there is no place for their words in civil society," he added. Addressing a gathering of people, many of whom have lived under the threat of eviction for the past five months, Kejriwal alleged that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks of 'Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makaan' in reality, his government's approach translates to 'Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Maidan'. "Don't trust PM Modi's guarantees they are counterfeit, hollow lies," he added. Hitting out at the Delhi government, he said it has only been five months since the BJP government was formed, and "look at what they've done to Delhi already". "In just five months, they have pushed the city to such a state that people from across Delhi have been forced to gather at Jantar Mantar today to protest against them," he added. Recalling Delhi's political history, Kejriwal said, "From this same Jantar Mantar, the Anna movement began, and it wiped Congress off the map. If you do not stop demolishing jhuggis, this movement has started from Jantar Mantar today, and your government won't last five years. Rekha Gupta's government won't even survive three years if you continue like this." Referring to his warning before the elections, Kejriwal said he had released a video message back then, specifically for the poor and marginalised, for the jhuggi residents of Delhi. "I had even told you that if they come to power, they will demolish your jhuggis within a year, but I never imagined that they would wreck the entire city in just five months," he said. "We left behind a smoothly running Delhi in February a city with 24x7 electricity. Now, the entire city faces power cuts," he emphasised and added that the government would even stop providing free electricity within a year. Pointing to the collapse of civic infrastructure, the AAP chief said in just one rainfall a few days ago, Delhi turned into a drain. Kejriwal, who first became CM after defeating Sheila Dikshit in 2013, also attacked Congress. "These people have completely ruined Delhi just like during Congress rule. You all remember how, before our government, Delhi suffered endless power cuts. Electricity was extremely expensive," he said. Kejriwal said that it took BJP 25 years to come to power in Delhi, and "even after coming to power, they've done nothing but abuse and spread lies. They're filing one fake FIR after another against Manish Sisodia, against Satyendar Jain, against Saurabh Bharadwaj," he said. Sisodia and Jain are facing an anti-corruption branch (ACB) probe in connection with alleged irregularities in the construction of classrooms. Last week, the ACB registered an FIR against Bharadwaj and Jain for alleged corruption related to delays in hospital construction projects. Calling out the BJP-Congress nexus, he said, "Both these parties are the same. In the Delhi elections, they joined hands. BJP and Congress have always been together two sides of the same coin." He reiterated that only AAP works for the people, for the nation, for real change." "These two parties Congress and BJP are like brother and sister, both working together to fool the public," he stressed. He asked people to take a pledge, "I swear, from today onwards, I will never vote for BJP or Congress. Never again will I support these two parties." The Delhi unit of Congress accused Kejriwal of shedding crocodile tears and accused him and his government of not doing anything for slum dwellers when they were in power.
