New Delhi, May 16 (Agency) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of planning the “biggest destruction of independent India” by unleashing bulldozers to raze alleged illegal homes and shops that will leave 63 lakh people homeless. While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief clarified that his party was also against the encroachments, he made it clear that the manner in which the demolition drive was taking place in the city was not justified. “We (AAP) are also against encroachment but the way Delhi has expanded in the last seven decades, 80 percent of the national capital is built upon encroached land. So should we demolish all such units at once and make lakhs of people homeless in the sweltering heat? It will be the biggest destruction in independent India,” he said in a digital address after a meeting with his 62 MLAs from Delhi. Kejriwal accused the BJP of encouraging encroachments in the past 15 years when they controlled the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) after taking money. Now when the BJP knows that their rule is going to be over in MCD, it is resorting to demolish all such settlements to clean its record. He said even those with valid papers were not being spared.
“In the last 15 years, BJP has contributed to the encroachment. Now when it’s going to be out of power, the party is trying to destruct whole of Delhi.” “Even if a person is with rightful papers, why are bulldozers being used? This is not right. They have a plan to demolish all ‘kacchi’ colonies and ‘jhuggis’. Sixty-three lakh people will face the bulldozer,” he added. The Chief Minister asked if the BJP has any constitutional or ethical power to take the kind of action as the party is no more in power in the civic bodies. Kejriwal said that all AAP MLAs and party activists will resist the demolition drive by the MCD even if it lands them in jail. “I have told AAP MLAs to resist the demolition drive of BJP with their full might. We will not let the saffron party destroy any home even if we have to go to jail for this.” The three civic bodies have been carrying out demolitions in several parts of Delhi. Kejriwal made the statement after holding a meeting with AAP MLAs regarding the anti-encroachment drive in the national capital. The meeting, which began at around 11 AM, was initially scheduled for May 14 but it was cancelled due to the massive building fire in Mundka on Friday which claimed the lives of 27 people.