NEW DELHI: BJP leader Parvesh Verma Monday accused AAP of failing to fulfil its pledge of providing homes to slum dwellers and claimed these people have not got houses despite paying large sums of money to the Delhi government under its housing scheme for them. The BJP candidate who has been fielded against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal in the upcoming Assembly polls, slammed the former Delhi chief minister for his repeated claims that the saffron party would demolish all slums in the city if it is voted to power.
“AAP has made a mockery of the system. They have been lying repeatedly, misguiding the people of Delhi, especially the poor living in jhuggis (slums),” the BJP leader said. At a press conference here, Verma alleged the Kejriwal government betrayed Delhi’s poor. In 2013, the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) collected Rs 70,000 to Rs 1,50,000 from slum dwellers with promises of permanent homes but these families are still waiting for their promised homes even 12 years later, he said.
He claimed that the housing scheme for slum dwellers was initiated by the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress government but the process of allocating homes was stalled under Kejriwal’s leadership. “More than 8,000 homes are fully constructed in Delhi, but instead of handing them over, Kejriwal has prioritised building a palace for himself,” he alleged, referring to the renovation of the bungalow the AAP chief resided as chief minister.
The BJP has been taking jibes at Kejriwal and his AAP over the renovation of the bungalow once occupied by the former Delhi chief minister and has dubbed it a ‘Sheesh Mahal’ for the “lavish spending” on it. Verma further alleged that the AAP allowed the demolition of slums in areas such as Silver Oak Park, Ramesh Nagar, and Karol Bagh in the past year, rendering several families homeless.
At the press conference, also attended by several slum dwellers affected by the housing issue, Verma presented documents, which he said were obtained through RTI applications, showing that while the government had taken the money under the scheme, the promised flats were never handed over to the applicants.
“If Kejriwal cannot keep his promise, I think he should not fight this election,” he said, exuding confidence about the BJP’s win in the upcoming elections. The remarks by the challenger to Kejriwal in his New Delhi Assembly seat came after the AAP chief challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to withdraw all cases against people living in ‘jhuggis’ and resettle those displaced within 24 hours, vowing not to contest the elections if the BJP complies.
Verma also showed documents that purportedly indicated that demolition of slums had been carried out by the AAP-governed Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and slammed the party for “not being able” to resolve the issues facing slum dwellers while shifting blame onto the BJP. In response to Verma’s allegations, AAP in a statement said, “During elections, BJP indulges in ‘jhuggi tourism’ in Delhi. Yet it has rendered three lakh ‘jhuggi’ residents shelterless.
“In contrast, Arvind Kejriwal has tirelessly worked to ensure dignity for ‘jhuggi’ dwellers’ — laying sewer lines, providing water, and ensuring electricity in 1,800 unauthorised colonies.” The party further claimed that the BJP plans to demolish slums in the Shakur Basti’s Railway Jhuggi Camp, visited by Kejriwal recently.
“The BJP must answer: ‘Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Kiske Makaan?’ Will there be homes for the poor or land for their friends? These BJP leaders who once slept in ‘jhuggis’ and played carrom with children have betrayed them. On December 27, 2024, the LG changed the land use of a ‘jhuggi camp’ so that a demolition drive could be carried out,” the AAP added.
