Can't defy court orders, says Delhi CM amid criticism over demolition drives
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday said the authorities cannot go against demolition orders issued by the courts and stressed that the displaced residents have been provided accommodation. The remarks come amid criticism from the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the razing of the Madrasi Camp slum cluster near Barapullah in south Delhi, and similar demolition drives in other parts of the city.
The AAP has targeted Gupta, saying the displaced residents were provided homes in faraway Narela, and even those lack basic amenities. Attending an event to mark the construction of a Jan Sewa camp at a slum cluster in the Haiderpur area, Gupta told reporters, "In the past few days, whatever demolition action have been taken by the authorities, like at the Madrasi camp where the court had given directions to remove the encroachment over the Barapullah drain, almost four times." The encroachment over the Barapullah drain had reduced its width, causing problems of waterlogging in nearby areas, she said, adding the action was necessary to carry out desilting work. "Neither the government nor the administration can do anything if the court has ordered something for the slums. The Madrasi Camp was set up on the banks of the Barapullah drain. "The court had ordered the removal of this slum so that machines could be deployed to clean the drain. No one can defy court orders. Houses have been allotted to the residents of that camp," she told reporters.
Reacting to the chief minister's comments, her predecessor, Atishi, said the BJP's key poll promise of 'Jaha Jhuggi, Wahi Makaan' (houses where the slum is) rings hollow. In a post in Hindi on X, Atishi said, "Rekha ji, did the court also say that the BJP should not fulfil its promise of 'Jaha Jhuggi, Wahi Makaan'? If the slums had to be demolished, then why weren't people given houses in nearby areas? "Most people from Madrasi Camp didn't get any housing. Those who did were given dilapidated houses 40 km away in Narela with no jobs, roads, schools or hospitals," she claimed.
