Unauthorised colonies Bill passed in Lok Sabha a 'fraud', aimed at electoral benefit for BJP: Cong

The Congress's Delhi unit alleged that the unauthorised colonies Bill, passed in Lok Sabha on Thursday, was a "fraud" and that it was aimed at reaping electoral benefits in the Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for early next year.

The party also claimed that the "half-baked" Bill had nothing about regularisation of the unauthorised colonies and its scope was limited only to ownership rights.

The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the NCT of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill 2019 to grant ownership rights to residents living in Delhi's 1,731 unauthorised colonies.

"The Bill is a fraud, it has nothing for regularisation of colonies. The BJP is least bothered about helping residents of these colonies and is focused on getting their votes in Assembly elections due early next year," alleged Delhi Congress president Subhash Chopra.

Delhi Congress chief spokesperson Mukesh Sharma claimed that no layout plans were prepared for the colonies.

"There is nothing about regularisation of unauthorised colonies in the Bill. The boundaries of colonies are yet to be worked out and layouts of only 13 of 1731 such settlements are ready. The BJP has got passed an election provision Bill to help it in Delhi's Assembly polls," accused Sharma.

He said the Congress will fight to ensure that interests of residents of these colonies were not affected due to the "half-baked" Bill.