Delhi MCD polls: BJP promises house in high-rises to all slum dwellers
NEW DELHI: Ahead of the December 4 MCD elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday released a “Vachan Patra” (a commitment letter) promising slum residents a house in multi-storeyed complexes near their jhuggi jhopri clusters, just like the ones that were allotted to residents of Bhoomiheen Camp in South Delhi’s Kalkaji Extension recently.
The party’s Delhi unit on Thursday launched a campaign in slum clusters across the city, asking residents to fill up their details in a form and handing them a copy of the “Vachahn Patra”, which was launched by Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta and North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari.
On November 2, Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over the keys to eligible beneficiaries at Bhoomiheen Camp after inaugurating 3,024 newly constructed flats at Kalkaji in New Delhi under the “in-situ slum rehabilitation project”.The Prime Minister had given 576 families keys to their flats in Kalkaji Extension.
Speaking at the launch of the document on Thursday, Gupta said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fulfilled his promise of ‘Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makan’. “BJP does not make empty promises like the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, which has compelled people to live in slums without any basic facilities such as sewer and clean drinking water. The central government under Modi ji has given 3,024 flats to slum residents. Similar flats will be given to other slum residents,” said Gupta.
Gupta added, “We will make the slum residents fill up forms and give them a letter of commitment that they too will get new flats. The DDA is constructing flats in Kathputli Colony and Jailorwala Bagh.”
An AAP spokesperson did not comment on the allegations.
The BJP has made flats to slum dwellers as one of its key poll planks to woo residents in JJ clusters and unauthorised colonies which have decisively voted for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections. The party is taking slum residents from other parts of the city show them the flats in Kalkaji Extension.
Hitting out at the AAP, Tiwari said, “We have a list of 10 guarantees given by the AAP during 2015 assembly elections.
Arvind Kejriwal promised to provide 11,000 buses and 500km Metro network to provide last mile connectivity.
We all know where this promise stands today...He (Kejriwal) keeps giving guarantees, but they can’t tell you when they will be delivered.”
Political analyst Tanvir Aeijaz, professor of political science at DU’s Ramjas College, said, “While housing is important for urban poor, it is not their top concern. In 2020, the Centre had provided property ownership rights to residents of unauthorised colonies but it didn’t help the BJP win the assembly elections.”