BJP govt planning to demolish all unauthorised colonies of Delhi: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday claimed that the BJP government is planning to demolish all the unauthorised colonies in the national capital where about 70 per cent of the city's population resides.
Kejriwal alleged that the BJP is planning to demolish these colonies and give the land to builders who would then construct luxurious apartments on it.
"About 70 per cent of the city's population resides in unauthorised colonies, where will they go? We have been pressured by the Centre not to invest money in unauthorised colonies and we have also been told by government officials that the BJP is planning to demolish all unauthorised colonies once it comes to power," he told reporters.
"Three-four months back, we started the development works in unauthorised colonies on a war footing. Lanes, drains, water and sewer pipelines works were initiated and I myself went to inaugurate these works in unauthorised colonies," he said.
Kejriwal said the Delhi government is in the process of mending the unauthorised colonies and provide them with facilities like sewage lines.
"If you want their plans to fail, then strengthen our hands then vote for us," he said.
"Strengthen our hands. Till now, when the BJP unleashed injustice on traders, I stood by them with all dedication and as chief minister of Delhi whatever powers were available to me, I fought for the traders' rights and protected them till wherever I could. Now give me all the seven seats and I will save Delhi," he said.
The chief minister also claimed that the sealing drive in Delhi was done to bring Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
"People living on rent would not be benefitted by it and they would be rendered homeless," he said.
"Recently, BJP's Manoj Tiwari publicly conceded that the Modi government would demolish unauthorised colonies and would replace these colonies with high-rise buildings, in which residents of unauthorised colonies will be given flats," Kejriwal said.
"At least Tiwari admitted that the Modi government has such a plan. Imagine the scale of destruction Delhi will have to go through, incase 70 per cent of the population is uprooted," he added.
Kejriwal said the AAP government is committed to opening registries for GPA holders to give them a life of respect.
"Both the BJP and the Congress deceived the residents of unauthorised colonies for 70 years and have humiliated them. The BJP and the Congress have used residents of unauthorised colonies or votes and the latest plan of the Modi government is extremely dangerous," he said.
He said there is a strong buzz to actually find out the real reason behind the sealing in Delhi.
"It is well known that the previous Congress government wanted to bring FDI in retail and that would have only been possible if the small traders were destroyed. Now it is apparent and clear that the Modi government too has cosied up to big MNCs and wants to bring FDI in retail, and for that largescale sealing was carried out in Delhi to ruin small businesses and shops," Kejriwal said.
"I want to know that the traders who built the BJP by their blood and sweat, why did the Modi government want to ruin these traders totally?" he added.
No immediate response was available from the BJP.
