Delhi govt, Lieutenant Governor trade fire over demolition drives

New Delhi [India], March 10 (ANI): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government in Delhi and the Lieutenant Governor (LG) traded charges on Saturday over demolition drives in different slums of the national capital.

The Delhi government alleged that nearly three lakh slum dwellers have been rendered homeless since Vinai Kumar Saxena took office as LG. However, the Delhi LG’s office refuted the claims, labelling them as “typical and blatant lies” peddled by the Delhi government.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Delhi government alleged that an attempt was made to demolish Ghosia Colony in Mehrauli on the orders of the LG.

“Delhiites are aware that since Mr Vinai Saxena became Delhi’s LG, more slums have been demolished in the past two and a half years than ever before in Delhi. Nearly three lakh slum dwellers have been rendered homeless on the LG’s directives during the last two and a half years,” the Delhi government claimed.

“It has also come to light that an attempt was made to wrongfully demolish Ghosia Colony in Mehrauli on the LG’s orders. When the Delhi government raised the issue of residents’ voices in court, the High Court intervened. Otherwise, the LG would have demolished the entire Ghosia Colony. Similarly, there was a large slum cluster behind the Sundar Nagar nursery, which the LG demolished by misleading the court,” it claimed.

“In recent days, the LG has rendered numerous people homeless. Because of this, the LG is resorting to such drama just before the elections, shedding crocodile tears, as the LG also knows that this time, the people living in unauthorized colonies and slums in Delhi will vote against the BJP. The LG’s actions in clusters like JJ clusters are the main reason for this,” it alleged.

Delhi government further pointed out, “It is also noteworthy that around 800 Hindu refugees from Pakistan have been living in Delhi since 2011. Two days ago, the LG ordered the demolition of these Hindu refugees’ slums as well. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal raised their voices. Otherwise, the LG had also planned to render those 800 Hindu refugees homeless.”

“Earlier, nearly two and a half lakh people were rendered homeless near Tughlakabad, hundreds of people were rendered homeless in Ghosia Colony, their homes were demolished with bulldozers. Hundreds of people behind the Sundar nursery were rendered homeless. All agencies responsible for this action come under the LG. LG should answer all this,” it added.

In a stern reply, the Delhi LG Office said, “This is a typical and blatant lie being peddled, supposedly by the Delhi government.”

“Not a single Jhuggi has been removed at the LG’s directions. In fact, on many occasions, the last being at Majnu ka Tila, demolitions were stopped due to LG’s intervention,” a Raj Niwas official said in a statement.

“What is atrocious is that they are even dragging the Hon’ble Courts into their murky games. They are charging the LG of “misleading” the Courts, a tactics that they have perfected and the LG Sectt has even moved Courts against the perjury committed by them,” the official said.

“If they think that the LG misled the courts, why aren’t they taking recourse to bringing the true picture in front of the courts? Who is stopping them?” he added.

The LG has made four visits to underdeveloped areas like unauthorized colonies and slum clusters in the city in recent days. Previously, he visited Kirari, Burari, and Sangam Vihar, and shared similar pictures and issued directions for action by the concerned departments.

Taking to X on Saturday, LG Saxena expressed concern about people living in these areas.

“Complaints about lack of public facilities are being continuously received from every part of Delhi. In this context, yesterday I went to JJ Cluster located in Golakuan Tehkhand and Sanjay Colony, Okhla and saw the ground reality from there. A more vivid example of inaction and insensitivity cannot be found than this,” he said. (ANI)