Delhi: BJP ruled civic body conducts demolition drive in Madanpur Khadar; locals protest, AAP MLA detained

Continuing with its bulldozer politics in order to polarise the people of Delhi, the BJP ruled civic body carried out demolition drive in Muslim dominated Madanpur Khadar on Thursday amid protest by the local residents.

Though the South Delhi Municipal Corporation demolished several structures which it notified as illegal construction, it had to face stiff resistance from the locals.

In various pictures and videos, residents can be seen complaining that no prior intimation was given to them. Bulldozers could be seen trying to demolish a six-storey building in the area.

Police have detained the local AAP MLA along with ten others after the protest escalated. The police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse an angry crowd.

MLA Amanatullah Khan was quoted as saying, “I am ready to go to jail if it saves the houses of poor people. There is no encroachment here. I will support them (civic body) in demolition if there is any encroachment”.

Khan who managed to stop a similar drive in Shaheen Bagh a few days back said that the structures were not illegal.

Local residents alleged that the BJP-ruled civic body was aware of the construction in the area and allowed it after taking bribes from builders.

Locals were seen shouting slogans against the Delhi police, which is providing security to the civic body during the demolition drive. Delhi police comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

In one of the videos, the police can be seen warning the protestors through a megaphone that action would be taken against them if they continue their protest.

The civic body had on Wednesday carried out demolition drives in the city’s Najafgarh, Dwarka and Lodhi Colony.

Opposition parties have alleged that the structures were being razed arbitrarily by the BJP ruled civic bodies.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Abhishek Dutt in videos posted on his Twitter account has said that the party would not let the “bulldozer of hate” run in the national capital.

“If the Bhartiya Janata Party wants to run bulldozers, it should run them on unemployment and fuel price rise,” Dutta said.

“They should run bulldozers on Chinese encroachment on the borders. We are willing to accompany them,” he added.

In a similar incident, the BJP ruled civic body carried out a controversial demolition drive in Jahangirpur area of Delhi after Ram Navami.

Opposition alleged that these anti-encroachment drives are politically motivated. Notably, the civic body’s term ends on May 18.

Though local body elections are due in the national capital, the Central government has passed Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill during the Budget session to merge three civic bodies into one.