Till Kejriwal is alive, no family in slums will lose their home: AAP

New Delhi, Sep 11: AAP MLA Raghav Chadha said the party-led government in Delhi will not accept any action against city's slum dwellers. This comes after Supreme Court last week ordered demolition of 48,000 slums along city's railway lines.

"I'm tearing these notices and reminding BJP that till CM Arvind Kejriwal is alive, no family living in slums will lose their home," Chadha added.

To ensure compliance of its order, the top court stopped any other court from passing a stay order on their removal.

Kejriwal called a meeting on Thursday to discuss the court's order and explore possible ways to rehabilitate the displaced people, a senior official in the chief minister's office said.

"He had a discussion with the public works department (PWD) and the Delhi urban shelter improvement board (DUSIB). While DUSIB suggested its vacant flats for economically weaker sections could be used, the PWD expressed concern over the scale of the potential project as it involves more than 48,000 families," the official said.

At the same time, the ruling AAP is also exploring legal options to stall the eviction of the slum-dwellers.

Chadha, the party's national spokesperson and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) vice-chairperson, said the government was committed to protecting the people who live in these dwellings.

"The chief minister is making a policy to ensure security to every slum dweller. I want to tell the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) that they should immediately stop such illegal acts," he said, brandishing eviction notices sent to several people living in these houses by Indian Railways.

Chadha further claimed that the BJP is issuing notices which are threatening the slum dwellers that their houses will be demolished within this month.

"The BJP is issuing notices across the national Capital, threatening the slum dwellers that their houses will be demolished within this month. These notices are against the basic principles of the Constitution, which allows every citizen to have a life with dignity. I urge the BJP not to harass these slum dwellers," he said.

However, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor hit back at Chadha and said nothing can be more false and condemnable than Chadha's diatribe on demolition of 'jhuggis' around railway land as ordered by the Supreme Court of India.

"Delhi government never fought for the 48,000 'jhuggi' dwellers in court and even now when they can help them by giving alternative accommodation in the form of over 50,000 Rajiv Ratan Housing Scheme lying vacant, we find AAP leaders like Raghav Chad...
Kapoor further said the AAP leaders should stop playing dirty politics on this issue related to the Supreme Court's order.