AAP MLA tried to illegally occupy land: Delhi BJP

Delhi BJP today alleged that AAP MLA Rituraj Govind, who has been arrested on charges of apprehension of breach of peace in Outer Delhi's Kirari area before Chhath Pooja, was trying to illegally occupy the gram sabha land there.
Delhi BJP President Satish Upadhyay claimed that the MLA and AAP workers were "responsible for the dispute at Kirari as instead of setting up a temporary Puja Ghat they tried to illegally occupy the gram sabha land".
"In the past too, Rituraj has been involved in controversies related to land mafia in the area," he said in a statement.
Demanding that Crime Branch of Delhi Police should look into the matter as a land grabbing case, he said there was a need for an additional temporary Chhath Puja Ghat in the area due to increasing population of people from Poorvanchal in Kirari constituency.

"With this in mind, at the initiative of former MLA Anil Jha the local people unanimously decided that a temporary Chhath Ghat be made at gram sabha land of Nithari Village but no political party or leader should be involved," he said.
"Around 4-5 days back, local Aam Aadmi Party workers led by MLA Rituraj created fencing of the land and put up welcome gates with the pictures of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. This angered the local population which resisted politicisation of the Chhath Ghat," the statement said.

Rituraj is the 15th legislator of the AAP who has been apprehended.

Rituraj had said yesterday that he was trying to build a ghat at Nithari Talaab near the expressway on the occasion of Chhath puja along the river bank in Kirari which is his constituency.
His move was objected to by the local villagers even as he said the construction of the ghat was funded by the Delhi government.