AAP protests outside BJP office in New Delhi over slum demolition order

New Delhi, January 14

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers — led by MLA Atishi — today laid a siege to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters here to protest against the order to demolish slums in the national capital.

The police had to use water cannons to disperse the protesting AAP workers. During the protest, many AAP workers tried to scale the barricades erected by the Delhi Police.

The demolition order has been issued by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to various slums in New Delhi.

AAP claimed that DDA has already put out notices at slums in Kalkaji, Mehroli, Tuglkabaad and Chattarpur. AAP said that notices issued to the slums should be revoked immediately.

Atishi said, “Before the MCD elections, the BJP had promised ‘jahan jhuggi wahaan makaan’. Now, DDA has given demolition orders to various slums in the national capital. We will not let this happen at any cost. If need arises, we (AAP) will knock on the doors of the court.”

She added that the AAP-led government would provide a pucca (cement) house to every family living in the slums. “Until every slum dweller gets a pucca house, we will not let the BJP-run DDA demolish any slum in the national capital,” she said.