Cong: BJP & AAP using slum demolitions as a political tool

New Delhi: Satish Luthra, Congress candidate for Shakurbasti, has accused both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of colluding to worsen the plight of Delhi’s slum dwellers. Luthra, who has been vocal about the rights of the poor, criticised the two parties for orchestrating demolitions and displacements that have plagued the city’s jhuggi residents for over a decade. He warned that the upcoming demolition drives in 2025 are simply a repeat of the failed policies from 2015.

Luthra referred to the 2015 report ‘Jostling for Jhuggi Land’, which highlighted the hardships of thousands displaced due to the combined inaction of the BJP-led Central government and the AAP-led state government. The report revealed how both parties failed to provide adequate solutions, leaving vulnerable residents homeless. Luthra cautioned that history is about to repeat itself with new demolition orders, threatening the future of Delhi’s marginalised communities.

Luthra sharply criticised both BJP and AAP for using slum demolitions as a political tool, offering only empty promises of rehabilitation and affordable housing. He claimed that, instead of addressing the needs of the poor, both parties have treated slum residents as mere vote banks. Despite years of assurances, no real solutions have materialised, leaving families in constant fear of eviction.

He also raised concerns about the real motives behind the demolitions, suggesting they may serve the interests of the real estate industry rather than the poor. He questioned, “Who benefits from these displacements?” In an appeal, Luthra called on the residents of Shakurbasti and across Delhi to unite against these unjust policies. He demanded an immediate halt to the demolition drives and called for an independent investigation into the actions of both BJP and AAP.