New Delhi, Jun 8 (PTI) 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.

While the AAP has targeted Gupta, saying those evicted were provided houses lacking basic amenities in faraway Narela, party MP Sanjay Singh and Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sunday visited the demolition site of the Madrasi Camp slum cluster, where they met with displaced residents, and intensified their attack on the BJP.

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 last few days… demolition action has 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.

“No slum will be demolished without first providing permanent housing to its residents,” she said.

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. Most anti-encroachment actions are being carried out in compliance with court orders and are targeting illegal occupations that are obstructing traffic or hindering public movement.

“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.

Gupta also said that “FIRs will be filed and strict action will be taken against those spreading false information about demolitions”.

Reacting to the chief minister’s comments, her predecessor, Atishi, said on X, “Rekha ji, did the court also say that the BJP should not fulfil its promise of ‘jaha jhuggi, waha makan’? 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 said in the post in Hindi.

Bharadwaj questioned the efforts of the government to protect the clusters.

“Stop hiding behind the court order. Did you (CM) file an appeal in the Supreme Court? You (BJP) even bring laws in Parliament against Supreme Court orders – why didn’t you do it here?” he said on X.

“Why weren’t these people given homes at the same place before demolishing their jhuggis? Why hasn’t the Chief Minister met these people yet?” Bharadwaj said.

Earlier, during their visit to the Madrasi Camp cluster, Singh and Bharadwaj alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise to slum dwellers of ‘jaha jhuggi, waha makan’ — house at the site of their hutment — has “proved to be hollow like many others”.

AAP has promised to continue raising the issue both in public forums and in Parliament, accusing the BJP of acting against the interests of the poor.

The Madrasi Camp — a jhuggi cluster situated along the Barapullah drain near Nizamuddin Railway Station — was home to nearly 370 families for almost 60 years.

It was cleared by authorities after eviction notices were issued last month. However, only 189 families were deemed eligible for relocation to government flats in Narela. PTI SSM SLB RHL