Centre planning to raze unauthorised colonies: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the Narendra Modi government is planning to demolish unauthorised colonies in the national capital and added that the land will be given to big builders.

Speaking to the media, he said while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is trying to provide facilities to these colonies and bring them in mainstream, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to give the land to rich builders.

"We were laying sewer lanes in these colonies. When the work started on the ground, I got to know through some Central government employees that the Modi government is planning to demolish all unauthorised colonies in Delhi. They want to demolish the colonies and give the land to big builders and rich people and take away all land," he told the media here.

Kejriwal also said that BJP MP Manoj Tiwari has confessed that the Modi government has such a plan.

"Recently BJP's Manoj Tiwari in public conceded that the Modi government would demolish unauthorised colonies and replace these colonies with high-rise buildings, in which residents of unauthorised colonies will be given flats.

"At least Tiwari admitted that the Modi government has such a plan. Imagine the scale of destruction Delhi will have to go through, in case 70 per cent of the population is uprooted."

He said that he has come to know that once the land is taken away from the residents of unauthorised colonies, "they will not be rehabilitated in flats of high-rise buildings. Tenants residing in unauthorised colonies will be rendered homeless."

He said he will not let the BJP do any such thing.

"Without demolishing any colony, we will develop these and provide all basic and good facilities in these colonies and we will beautify theses colonies. Roads, drains, streetlights and parks will be built there. Drinking water will be provided and I want to make it clear that wherever any one lives in these colonies, they will get all the facilities there only."

For this, he said, people should vote for the AAP.

"I appeal to the people of Delhi that if you want to save Delhi, hand over a resounding defeat to the BJP this time."

He also said that the Modi government is anyway damaging the businesses here through the sealing drive.

"The Modi government during the last two years destroyed the livelihood of a large number of people due to sealing and rendered them unemployed by shutting down their shops, factories and other establishments."

--IANS

nks/nir