AAP Alleges Central Government’s Plan to Eradicate All Slums in Delhi

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday alleged that the BJP-led central government has a plan to eradicate all slums in Delhi without providing any rehabilitation or alternative housing to the affected slum dwellers. The party claimed that the Centre has directed all land-owning agencies in the city, such as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), to clear all slum clusters in the city.

Inhuman and illegal demolition

Addressing a press conference, Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the slums in the national capital are being demolished “in an inhuman and illegal manner” by the central government. They cited the example of a slum cluster between Sundar Nursery and Delhi Public School, which was demolished in November following a court’s order. The slum dwellers, who worked as ragpickers, street hawkers, maids and labourers, had claimed that they were asked to vacate their houses in two days with no offer from the government for relocation.

AAP’s alternative model

The AAP leaders contrasted the Centre’s approach with their own party’s model of providing pucca houses to slum dwellers under the Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana. They said that the AAP government has already allotted 40,000 flats to slum dwellers and is constructing another 89,400 flats. They also said that the AAP government has regularised 1,731 unauthorised colonies and provided them with basic amenities like water, electricity, sewerage and roads.

Appeal to the Centre

The AAP leaders appealed to the Centre to stop its “anti-poor” policy and work with the Delhi government to provide dignified housing to slum dwellers. They said that the Centre should follow the example of other countries like Singapore and Malaysia, where slums have been replaced by high-rise buildings with proper facilities. They also urged the Centre to respect the Supreme Court’s guidelines on slum demolition, which state that no slum should be demolished without providing alternative accommodation or rehabilitation.