New Delhi, Apr 15 (PTI) The AAP on Tuesday accused the BJP of betraying thousands of slum dwellers in Delhi, alleging that they have begun demolishing jhuggis and forcibly relocating residents to Narela, despite pre-poll promises of in-situ housing.

Residents of the Madrasi Camp JJ cluster will hold a protest at Rajghat Chowk on Wednesday to oppose the evictions.

There was no immediate response available from the BJP.

Addressing a press conference, AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj lashed out at the BJP-led Delhi government stating that within just two months of winning the Delhi Assembly elections, the BJP had reneged on its “Modi Guarantee” of “Jahaan Jhuggi, Wahaan Makaan” by initiating eviction drives in areas like Jangpura’s Madrasi Camp.

“Arvind Kejriwal had warned that if the BJP came to power in Delhi, it would snatch away roofs from over the heads of the poor. That is exactly what’s happening now,” Bharadwaj said.

He pointed out that most of the affected families in Madrasi Camp are of Tamil origin and questioned what face the BJP would show when seeking votes in Tamil Nadu, where many of the displaced families have roots.

“We appeal to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to take note and raise his voice against this injustice,” he said.

Bharadwaj claimed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), which functions under the Union government, has begun serving relocation notices to nearly 500 families in the camp, many of whom have lived there for four to five decades. They are being shifted nearly 40 to 50 kilometres away to Narela, where he said even basic amenities like potable water are not available.

There was no immediate response available from the DDA over the issue.

He argued that the forced relocation would severely disrupt the lives and livelihoods of residents, many of whom work nearby as domestic help, construction labourers, or small food vendors.

“Children study in local schools where Tamil is taught. How will they travel 50 kilometres every day? How will people reach their workplaces?” he asked.

Bharadwaj also criticised the condition of the flats being offered in Narela, saying residents who inspected the accommodations found them in poor shape, lacking even drinking water facilities.

“The BJP government must answer how they expect people to survive drinking saline water,” he said.

Calling the move a “betrayal of Modi’s Guarantee,” Bharadwaj demanded that the BJP provide alternative housing within a 5-kilometre radius of the existing jhuggis, in accordance with the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) policy.

He accused the BJP of putting up a façade before the elections by organising “Jhuggi Samman Yatras” and spending nights in slum clusters, only to “reveal its true face” after securing power.

“The BJP is handing over land to its capitalist friends while snatching the homes of the poor,” Bharadwaj alleged, reiterating AAP’s demand for dignified and proximate rehabilitation for all affected families. PTI MHS HIG HIG