'More than 80 per cent of Delhi illegal and encroached, will you destroy all?': Kejriwal slams BJP over anti-encroachment drive

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday (May 16, 2022) hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party for the anti-encroachment drive being carried out in the BJP-led municipal corporations in various parts of Delhi and called it the "biggest destruction" in independent India. At a meeting with Aam Aadmi Party MLAs on the matter, Kejriwal said Delhi has not been made in a planned way and that more than 80 per cent of Delhi can be called illegal and encroached. 

"Does that mean you will destroy 80 per cent of Delhi," he asked.

The AAP chief also told them that they should be ready to go to jail for opposing the anti-encroachment drive.

"They are reaching colonies with bulldozers and razing any shop and house. Even if people show them papers to prove that the structure is not illegal, they do not check them," he said.

जिस तरह से भाजपा दिल्ली में लोगों के घर और दुकानें तोड़ रही है, वो सही नहीं है। 63 लाख लोगों की दुकानों या मकानों पर बुलडोज़र चल सकता है। ये आज़ाद भारत का सबसे बड़ा विध्वंस होगा। LIVE https://t.co/Ehbv4kDGeS — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 16, 2022

"Delhi has not been made in a planned way. More than 80 per cent of Delhi can be called illegal and encroached. Does that mean you will destroy 80 per cent of Delhi?" he said in an online briefing.

The party is against the way the anti-encroachment drive is being carried out, he said and added that nearly 50 lakh people stay in unauthorised colonies, 10 lakh in 'jhuggis' and there are lakhs of people who have modified balconies or done something that does not conform to original maps.

"That means homes and shops of 63 lakh people will be bulldozed. This will be the biggest destruction happening in independent India," he said.

He noted that AAP is against encroachment and wants Delhi to look beautiful and said that razing homes and shops of 63 lakh people will not be tolerated.

BJP का 63 Lakh लोगों को बेघर करने का Plan!

लोग दया की भीख मांग रहे हैं, लेकिन कागज़ नहीं देखे जा रहे, सीधा Bulldozer चलाया जा रहा है।

BJP ने चुनावी वादा किया था कच्ची कॉलोनियां को पक्का करेगी, जहां झुग्गी वहीं मकान देगी। अब उनके घरों को तोड़ने जा रही है।

-CM @ArvindKejriwal pic.twitter.com/n2mpKPtcg0 — AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 16, 2022

"In the last 15 years, the BJP was in power in MCD and took the money. Their tenure will be ending on May 18. Do you have the constitutional power to take such big decisions? Let elections happen and let that party take the decision. Everyone knows that the AAP will come to power in MCD," the Delhi CM said.

Bulldozer चला के लोगों का घर उजाड़ना सही नहीं है। हम इसका सख्त विरोध करते हैं।

अभी मैंने AAP MLAs की बैठक की और यही कहा है कि जेल भी जाना पड़े तो डरना मत। आपको जनता के साथ खड़ा होना है। ये दादागिरी, गुड़ागर्दी सही नहीं है।

- CM @ArvindKejriwal pic.twitter.com/KKReoBFquQ — AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 16, 2022

Kejriwal assured people that the AAP will solve the problem of encroachment and that people residing in unauthorised colonies will get ownership rights. 

(With agency inputs)