Local MLA Amanatullah Khan condemned the demolition drive saying that this is just vendetta politics as there is no illegal encroachment. “I had, with my own JCB, removed a toilet that was illegally constructed outside a mosque,” he said.
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — After the intervention of Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan who was on the spot in Shaheen Bagh on Monday, the JCB bulldozer, brought by Municipal Corporation team for anti encroachment drive, left the area and reportedly moved towards Sarita Vihar.
The only ‘illegal encroachment’ i.e. an iron structure or a shuttering in front of a building was manually removed by the people even as a JCB bulldozer stood by during the proposed demolition drive.
The area is still tense as hundreds of local residents are moving around protesting again the demolition drive. Police, along with para military forces, could also be seen moving forward.
Amanatullah Khan talked with the officials and apprised them of the ‘illegal encroachment’ which was minimal. An iron structure or a shuttering in front of a building was removed by the public itself in the presence of Municipal team and Police force.
The residents of the area heaved a sigh of relief as Amanatullah Khan reached the spot on time on Monday and averted any face-off between the people and Municipal team who had come with a bulldozer.
Speaking to media, Khan stated that he had himself inspected the whole area and spoken to every official, including the traffic police.
“I had, with my own JCB, removed a toilet that was illegally constructed outside a mosque. This is just vendetta politics. Just tell me where the encroachment is. If still there is an illegal structure. Tell me, I will myself remove it. I am the local MLA,” Amanatullah Khan said.
Even the locals told he media that all the illegal structures in the area were already removed by the people just a few days back.
A similar drive was conducted in the communal violence-hit Jahangirpuri area of Delhi just 19 days back. In that drive, several illegal structures, including cold drink booths and shops, were demolished affecting the livelihood of a number of people who are facing a tough time now.
