CM’S car attacked by BJP workers: Govt Kejriwal inaugurates projects in 25 unauthorised colonies
FACE-OFF Delhi govt says attack took place on a route that was cleared by the police; BJP counters, calls it cheap publicity by AAP to garner public support before the LS elections
THE GOVERNMENT SAID THIS WAS THE FIFTH ATTACK ON THE CM IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND ACCUSED THE DELHI POLICE OF ‘WORKING UNDER THE CENTRAL GOVT’S PRESSURE’
NEWDELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s car was allegedly attacked by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters armed with sticks and flags, while he was on his way to inaugurate the development works in unauthorised colonies in Narela, the Delhi government said on Friday.
The government said this was the fifth attack on the CM in the last three years, and accused the Delhi Police of “working under the central government’s pressure and deliberately allowing these attacks”. The Delhi Police, which reports to the Union home ministry, and the Delhi government have been at loggerheads since AAP came to power in 2015.
The Delhi government said the attack took place on a route that was cleared by the police. “It is shocking that police deployed on the route allowed BJP workers to surround the CM’S vehicle, block it and bang on the car windows with sticks,” the government statement read.
It added that the Delhi Police was behaving like a “political wing of the ruling party at the Centre”.
Delhi Police refuted the allega- tions and, while it admitted that some supporters of a former BJP MLA, surrounded the car and showed black flags, it maintained that there was no attack. “There was no attack on the CM’S car, not even a scratch,” Gaurav Sharma, deputy commissioner of police (outer north), said.
The Delhi BJP also hit back at the government, calling the allegations a “cheap publicity stunt”. Rajesh Bhatia, general secretary of the Delhi BJP, said, “Thisis AAP’S tactic to garner support, as the CM knows he has lost the public’s confidence.”
Anil Mittal, additional spokesperson, Delhi Police, said Kejriwal was going to attend a public function, organised by MLA Sharad Chauhan, at Rajdhani Public School in Narela.
The CM’S car was being escorted by assistant commissioner of police (Narela subdivision) and police personnel deployed in Kejriwal’s Z-plus security cover.
Mittal said that around 3pm, when the CM’S car slowed down near the Narela railway crossing, former BJP MLA Neel Daman Khatri, along with his supporters, jumped in front of his vehicle and started raising slogans against Kejriwal.
“Our ACP and other police personnel immediately removed the protesters and provided a safe passage to the CM. Kejriwal attended the function and his vehicle was given safe passage when he left the venue as well. No complaint has been filed by the Delhi government,” the additional spokesperson said.
Former MLA Khatri denied attacking the CM and said, “We were protesting against the policies. They are not letting the Metro start the work on Phase-4, which would have benefitted Narela and other parts of Delhi.” NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday inaugurated development projects — including construction of sewer lines, drains and streets — in 25 unauthorised colonies in outer Delhi’s Narela assembly constituency.
A total of 507 lanes and 1,044 drains will be constructed in these 25 colonies at an estimated cost of ₹76 crore. The total length of the drains will be about 82km while roads will be laid along 47km. These colonies are devoid of basic civic infrastructure and full of open drains and dirt roads.
“The development projects will benefit over five lakh people who struggle with waterlogged roads and sewage-laden streets every monsoon. The work will be completed in phases between July and December this year,” Kejriwal told a gathering at the event.
“I will come to inaugurate the completed projects this December. In case it’s not complete by the due date, residents are free to not vote for me in the elections next year,” he said.
Delhi assembly elections are due in 2020.
The CM said he is working to arrange 24-hour water supply in these colonies by next year and accused the Centre of not approving many of its projects for as long as three years.
“We plan uninterrupted water supply in all unauthorised colonies by next year. CCTVS across the city will be installed from this month. We wanted CCTVS across the city for women’s safety but the file was pending with the central government for three years,” he said.
Blaming the previous governments for poor infrastructure and lack of basic amenities, Kejriwal said that his government, in four years of its coming to power, constructed sewer lines, water pipelines and drains in around 400 unauthorised colonies.
“In the 70 years since Independence, city governments did not care for people in these colonies and did not provide them with basic facilities such as water, roads and sewers. The AAP government, since it came to power, has strived for a better life for the residents of these colonies who have been neglected for decades,” the chief minister said.