Tiwari goes on fast, seeks ₹300cr development funds
NEW DELHI: Accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for allegedly hampering development projects in his constituency, Manoj Tiwari, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Delhi chief, has begun an indefinite hunger strike seeking immediate release of ₹ 300 crore to facilitate the construction of a flyover in Shastri Park and for the completion of over a dozen projects.
Tiwari, also an MP from northeast Delhi, started his protest fast along with other six BJP Delhi MPS — Maheish Girri, Parvesh Verma, Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Bidhuri, Udit Raj and Meenakshi Lekhi — on Thursday.
While others ended their daylong symbolic hunger strike in the evening, Tiwari decided to continue till his demands are met.
“Power has change hands in the city but the conditions in north-east Delhi constituency have not changed. Many dishonest governments have deprived this part of Delhi of its share of development. The projects in my area are finalised, but the Delhi government has, once again, stalled work including construction of Shastri Park fly- over and loop of Seelampur flyover,” he said.
Responding to Tiwari’s protest allegation, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said it is good that the BJP MP has started thinking about his constituency when his term is nearing end.
“After ridiculing Arvind Kejriwal about hunger strike and dharnas, the PM and his MPS have started realising their importance in democracy. The Delhi government would appreciate if the Centre agrees to give special package; we can spend the money not just on his (Tiwari’s) constituency but on Delhi,” Bhardwaj said.
Tiwari, who had undergone a surgery last week, was visited by a doctor in the evening after he complained of pain. His other demands are that those accused in ration scam be punished, completion of signature Bridge and supply of clean drinking water in his constituency.
Tiwari and other MPS were visited by Union ministers and senior party leaders such as Suresh Prabhu, Uma Bharti, Smriti Irani, Narender Singh Tomar, Vijay Goel, KJ Alphons and Anupriya Patel among several others.