New Delhi: As Delhi's civic bodies went about surveying areas under their jurisdiction to clear "illegal encroachment" —their gusto renewed after Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta's letter, the Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday launched a protest against the BJP-ruled MCDs' "bulldozer extortion", alleging that saffron party leaders were "extorting" people with threats of running bulldozers on their houses.
Several AAP leaders and workers, led by Durgesh Pathak, held their protest near their party headquarters here, holding placards in their hands and raising slogans like "stop hooliganism", "stop extortion" against the BJP-ruled civic bodies' anti-encroachment drives in the city.
"We have gathered here to protest against the BJP's hooliganism and extortion," Pathak told reporters.
Meanwhile, the South MCD officials went to survey areas for illegal encroachment in areas like Jaitpur, where residents are nervous after the demolition drive in Jahangirpuri without notice. However, the SDMC has said, unlike the north, it will issue notice before demolishing structures.
While AAP had planned to hold the protest outside the BJP headquarters, located about one kilometer from the AAP head office, it could not do so because the police had put up barricades on the way.
Pathak alleged that the Delhi BJP leaders have been reaching out to people across Delhi and threatening them of running bulldozers on the "unauthorised" constructions done on their properties if they do not "pay money" to them.
"They (BJP leaders) are extorting people threatening that the bulldozer will be run over their properties if they do not pay money to them. They are visiting their homes, pointing out frivolous shortcomings," the senior AAP leader said.
First the BJP "allowed and promoted" illegal constructions in the city while ruling the three civic bodies for the past 15 years, its leaders are now demanding the people pay "ransom" to avoid razing of such structures, he charged. "We will not allow this goondagardi (hooliganism) and extortion," he said.