Delhi Assembly Leader of Opposition said that the BJP’s bulldozer won’t roll unchecked and AAP will fight on all fronts — streets, courts, and assembly -- against illegal demolitions
NEW DELHI — The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) strongly opposed the proposed demolition of decades-old shops at Mirdard Marg in Matia Mahal, calling it part of a wider pattern of displacing Delhi’s poor and working class under the BJP’s governance.
Delhi Assembly Leader of Opposition Atishi visited the site and met affected traders, accusing the BJP-led administration of targeting both shelter and livelihoods.
“First, they demolished jhuggis across the city. Now they’re going after the shops that sustain livelihoods,” Atishi said. “The BJP wants to uproot both shelter and income. But AAP will resist the move on all fronts — streets, courts, and assembly — she assured and said that the BJP’s bulldozer won’t roll unchecked.”
AAP MLA Aaley Mohammad Iqbal also joined the visit, expressing solidarity with the traders.
Atishi accused the BJP of betraying its pre-election promises and targeting the city’s most vulnerable. She referred to the party’s 2019 slogan “Jahan jhuggi, wahan makaan” (a house where there is a slum)and said we all saw what actually happened. Wherever they went, jhuggis were demolished. In the Madrasi Camp of Jangpura, homes were razed. I visited the site the very next day. I saw people crying.
Highlighting the wider pattern of demolition, she said, “After destroying homes, the BJP now wants to crush the livelihoods of the poor by targeting their shops. I visited the Chunabhatti JJ Camp in Karol Bagh and the Nangli Dairy area — people have lived there for 40 to 50 years. Even there, similar demolition notices have been pasted. Ever since BJP’s four-engine government came to power, all four engines have been running only to torment the poor.”
Mentioning the demolition fears in Okhla, Atishi added, “Even in Batla House, the BJP’s anti-poor government had pasted demolition notices, but we moved the courts and stopped them. I want to assure all of you — you don’t need to worry. Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party are hiring lawyers for your defence. The Constitution gives you the right that if someone has lived in a place for 30 years, they cannot be evicted like this. We will not allow the BJP to shred the Constitution.”
