AAP observes 'Dhoka Diwas' over delay in regularisation of unauthorised colonies

AAP members led by senior leader Gopal Rai on Saturday observed 'Dhoka Diwas' against the Modi government, accusing it of delaying regularisation of unauthorised colonies in the national capital.

The protest was held outside BJP headquarters where AAP members held black placards bearing messages that the BJP had deceived the residents of unauthorised colonies.

Rai said he hoped that the BJP would pay heed to the issue. "I hope they will enlighten us why regularisation of unauthorised colonies that was to be completed in one month will now take six months," he said.

The Centre had said in July that it was likely to issue an order to regularise unauthorised colonies in Delhi within a month but recently Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said it would take another six months to regularise them.

Addressing the protesters, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said the work that was to be done by the Delhi government like installation of sewer lines and construction of roads had been done and now it was the Centre's responsibility to regularise them.

"We have told the Centre that the day you regularise these colonies, the next day we will start its registry procedure. Now Manoj Tiwari says it would take six more months. And the reason it will take six months is because Manoj Tiwari knows that elections are in four months," he said.

Environment Minister Hussain also participated in the protest.

The protest comes a day ahead of the BJP's plan to conduct a survey to take feedback of residents of unauthorised colonies in the city.

Bhardwaj had earlier said that 'Dhoka Diwas' has been held a day ahead of BJP's drive so that residents of the unauthorised colonies could ask the party leaders about reason behind the delay.

The issue of regularisation of unauthorised colonies has been a major poll plank in Delhi. In the last Lok Sabha polls, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the Narendra Modi government "planned to demolish" them.

Both the ruling AAP and the opposition BJP have blamed each other for delayed regularisation of these colonies.

There are 1,797 unauthorized colonies in the national capital, housing several lakhs people, that have been awaiting regularisation for many years.