Harassment of poor on pretext of SC order unfortunate: Tiwari

Hours after the Delhi Police booked city BJP chief Manoj Tiwari for illegally breaking the lock of a sealed house on Tuesday, he said harassing the poor people on the pretext of the Supreme Court order is "unfortunate" and it was a "conspiracy" to defame the party.

"Action of harassing the poor people on the pretext of the Court order is unfortunate and a conspiracy to defame the BJP. The party workers will expose this conspiracy by visiting every lane and house," Tiwari said while protesting against sealing of houses in Gokulpuri village of the city.

Besides the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, hundreds of local residents and party workers were present with him.

Tiwari wanted to go to the house which was illegally sealed but he was stopped by the municipal corporation administration hundred meters ahead of the house which he de-sealed on Sunday.

The BJP leader's remarks came after the Delhi Police registered a case against him on the complaint filed by Deputy Director of MCD, North Zone in Gokulpuri Police Station. He has been booked under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 461 and 465 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act.

The Delhi Police booked the BJP leader on the basis of a video footage in which he was seen breaking a sealed lock of a house in an unauthorised colony during his visit to Gokulpuri on Sunday that went viral on social media.

Tiwari said: "Wherever in Delhi the houses of the poor people will be sealed illegally, I would protest against them."

He also said he was against "illegal sealing" and "policy of pick and choose".

"We want lawful Delhi. If sealing action is to be taken then it should be against illegal construction on public land and it should start from Yamuna bank," he said.

"I would not let lakhs of people suffer due to corruption and will protest the selective action against the poor.

"I also respect the Supreme Court and will expose the people who are insulting the constitutional institutions by taking discriminatory action," he added.

Tiwari later, in a press conference, attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for not cooperating in the judicial inquiry into the death of its prominent worker Santosh Koil.

"Koli was a brave lady who always worked to solve the problems of common man but even after five years of her death the guilty persons have not been punished," he said.

"The National SC Commission has given orders for CBI inquiry on the complaint of Kalawati Koli. The BJP stands by the family to ensure punishment to the guilty persons.

"I would request to the CBI to complete the inquiry within 60 days," he said.

--IANS

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