In a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday alleged that it has done planning, and claimed that the saffron party would bring down the slums in the national capital in the coming five years if they come to power in the forthcoming Delhi assembly elections.
Addressing the media while he visited the slums of Shakur Basti in Delhi North Delhi, the former CM accused the BJP-led centre, alleging that their priority is land acquisition, rather than the welfare of those who reside in slums.
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The AAP chief has 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 with this.
During his visit, Kejriwal met with the residents of the ‘jhuggi camp’ in Shakur Basti and informed them about the alleged conspiracies of the BJP.
The AAP supremo claimed that BJP’s ‘love’ for the people living in ‘jhuggis’ is increasing with the elections around the corner, as their leaders are spending time in ‘jhuggi basti’, something they never did in the last five or ten years.
Kejriwal claimed that BJP is just seeking votes from slum dwellers, but after the elections, he alleged that they are eyeing the land of the slums.
The AAP chief pointed out, stating, “Amit Shah claims ‘Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makaan (where there are slums, there will be houses). We also believe that people living in the ‘jhuggi basti’ should get houses where they are currently living. But the BJP is not clarifying whose houses they will be.”
He further alleged that they were misleading people by saying that PM Narendra Modi will build houses for the ‘jhuggi’ dwellers.
Kejriwal recalled alleging that, “In December 2015, the BJP attempted to demolish the same ‘jhuggi camp’. I had been the Chief Minister for only ten months then. At 2 a.m., I woke up all my officers and came to the slums, ensuring they were not demolished. These jhuggi dwellers have lived here for the past ten years because I became the Chief Minister and saved their homes,” he added.
He further added, “I tried my best to save many ‘jhuggis’, but despite my efforts, I could not save the homes of 3 lakh people. Whatever I am today is because of the people of ‘jhuggi basti’. Without them, there is no Kejriwal.”
Meanwhile, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia stated on his ‘X’ handle: “Today Arvind Kejriwal has exposed every lie and conspiracy told by Amit Shah to the people living in ‘jhuggis’. The BJP has rendered 3 lakh people living in ‘jhuggis’ homeless in the last 10 years. Now it is plotting to demolish every ‘jhuggi’ in Delhi.”
