Congress vows support to cluster residents amid demolition notices

New Delhi, July 20

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Devender Yadav visited the Jhuggi-Jhopri (JJ) clusters of Daya Basti and Tulsi Nagar on Saturday, assuring residents of the Congress’ support against demolition notices issued by the Railways. He accused both the BJP and AAP governments of collusion to uproot the poor from Delhi.

“It pains me. While the Delhi Government says that it will build houses for those in slums, it is asking people to vacate their houses in Tulsi Nagar and other areas. I want to clarify that the Delhi Congress, under the leadership of Ajay Maken, had raised this in the court, which had asked the Delhi Government to provide shelter to such people,” Yadav added.

He recalled that in 2016-17, when the Railways attempted to demolish these JJ clusters, the Congress had successfully obtained a stay order from the Supreme Court. Yadav assured residents that the party would once again seek legal recourse if necessary to protect their homes.

“Recently, the Railways issued notices to the residents of Daya Basti and Tulsi Nagar, stating their slum clusters on Railway land would be demolished. But let me warn them: the bulldozers can enter these JJ clusters only over the bodies of the Congress workers,” Yadav asserted.

He emphasised that the Supreme Court had ruled these JJ clusters could not be demolished without providing alternative accommodation to the residents. “The Railways dare not defy the SC order, as it would be a gross violation of the court order,” Yadav warned.