BJP protests against PWD notice

A protest led by Delhi BJP’s Jhuggi Jhopdi Cell coordinator Sushil Chauhan was held on Tuesday against the Public Works Department’s (PWD) order to demolish slums in Madrasi Camp, Barapullah and Jangpura constituency. The protest saw the participation of numerous slum dwellers, alongside BJP officials, including district general secretary Neeraj, district vice-president Ashok, and former vice-president Sanjay Sharma.

Chauhan accused the Delhi Government of neglecting slum dwellers. “The Kejriwal government is dictatorial and does nothing to provide basic facilities to the slum residents. Instead, they are making every effort to demolish their homes.

The BJP will continue to fight for the rights of these families until their demands are met,” Chauhan said.

He further warned that if 200 families from the Madrasi Camp do not receive housing, BJP workers would protest outside the residence of PWD Minister Atishi. “We will not back down. The slum dwellers deserve homes, and if they don’t get them, we will take our fight to the minister’s doorstep,” Chauhan added.

The protest reportedly prompted former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and local MLA Praveen Kumar to visit the site and assure residents of their support. However, BJP leaders remained critical of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s approach to slum rehabilitation.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva also accused the Kejriwal government of ignoring slum dwellers for over a decade. “For ten years, the AAP government has failed to provide basic services or initiate rehabilitation for people living in slum clusters. The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) department has done no work in this regard,” he said.

Sachdeva emphasised that the central government has undertaken slum rehabilitation projects in areas like Kalkaji, Jailer Bagh, and Kathputli Colony, while the Delhi government has made “hollow promises”. He criticised PWD’s notice to vacate Madrasi Basti, stating that the BJP would continue to oppose it. “Manish Sisodia cannot escape responsibility by making empty statements. This demolition is the result of the AAP’s neglect,” Sachdeva concluded.