NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday alleged that the BJP ruled DDA has illegally demolished a colony of SC-ST community in Delhi making 17 families homeless overnight. Senior AAP Leader and MLA Shri Vishesh Ravi stated, “Residents living in the colony for over 40 years have been made homeless by BJP; homes demolished without any notice or warning.
According to the resettlement & rehabilitation policies of the central and state government, all the families are supposed to be first given a house to live at some other place, but DDA violated all rules to make Dalits homeless in Delhi. Demand a reply from DDA, Delhi Police Commissioner and concerned agencies on this illegal action within 3 days.”
Senior AAP Leader & MLA Vishesh Ravi said, “There was a 40-year-old colony belonging to SC/ST community in 6/4 Ward 1 Mehrauli Legislative Constituency. 16-17 families used to reside there, but on 15th June BJP-ruled DDA demolished their homes. They have all become homeless.
DDA officials went to the slums and made them vacate the house in 5 minutes. People objected to this by saying that they were living there for the past 40 years. It was not an illegal slum because they had proper documents showing their ownership of the houses. They also told them that they don’t have any other places to live. They also had birth certificates and marriage certificates of their children with this address. Their voter ID card, electricity and water bill had this address.”
He said, “DDA officials brought the Police force with them and they did not feel it necessary to answer their objections. They forcefully kicked them out of their home. They did not give them enough time to move their belongings. They could only take out half of their belongings as they were only given 5 minutes Afterwards, JCB was brought and all the 16-17 houses were demolished.
“The children could not take out their stationery and school bags. They also denied ladies and the elderly any chance to take their belongings. This is an illegal move by the DDA, which is ruled by the BJP,” he said.
He added, “The residents told us that there are a few hotels and showrooms in their vicinity. They had problems with this society belonging to SC/ST and Dalit community and they demolished it to benefit those businessmen. They wanted the land to be vacated which prompted the DDA to demolish their society. They did not even consider it necessary to give them any notice or give them any information. This is a gross digression from the rules and procedures established by the law. They are homeless now and their belongings are still under the debris. The Police are constantly threatening them to leave the area after collecting their belongings.”
He continued, “Any land-owning agency, whether it is governmental or private, that wants to vacate any land has to follow the laws enacted by the Parliament and the State government. There are resettlement & rehabilitation policies brought by both the Union and the State government.”
“They have to conduct a survey, irrespective of the fact that there is a slum or proper house built there. They have to put the details of all the families and people residing there. The land-owning agency, along with the Rehabilitation department, has to make an equal contribution towards building new houses for them in Delhi. They have to rehabilitate the entire population first and then take control of the land where houses were present. But they followed none of this in the present instance. This is a gross atrocity against the Dalit community,” he said.
He concluded, “They have made multiple representations to DDA officials, MPs and MLAs since 15th June. The local AAP MLA made efforts to bring the issue to the notice of the public, but the DDA and the MP did not provide any support to them. I have taken cognizance of this matter as the Chairman of the SC-ST Committee of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. I have written letters to the DDA Vice-Chairman, Commissioner of Delhi Police and other agencies to submit an Action Taken Report and explain why this action was taken unlawfully? They have to submit the ATR within three days.”