The Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly recalls how women, the elderly, and even young children in the Madrasi Camp wept uncontrollably as they narrated their experiences
Abdul Bari Masoud
NEW DELHI – Anguish and anger gripped the Madrasi Camp, one of Delhi’s oldest jhuggi clusters, as bulldozers razed homes and rendered hundreds homeless.
Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi visited the site and launched a stinging political attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of betrayal, deceit, and cruelty towards the city’s marginalised communities.
Her visit comes in response to the BJP-led administration’s recent demolition drive in the area—part of a larger citywide campaign—that has drawn severe criticism from residents, activists, and opposition leaders alike.
‘We Were Betrayed After Voting for BJP’
Speaking to a visibly distressed gathering at Madrasi Camp in the Jangpura Assembly constituency, Atishi condemned the BJP for going back on its pre-election promise of “Jahaan Jhuggi, Wahaan Makaan” (Where there is a slum, there will be a home). “This slogan has turned out to be a cruel joke and the BJP’s ‘jhuggi jhoot’ has been exposed,” she said. “People trusted the BJP and voted for them with the hope of dignity and better lives. But as soon as they came to power, bulldozers were sent into jhuggi clusters across Delhi, destroying lives and homes.”
She added, “Most of the people I met here today have been living in these jhuggis for 30 to 40 years. Some families have been here for over seven decades. They have Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, voter IDs, and their children attend local schools. Despite all this, they were treated like encroachers.”
Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi consoles Madrasi camp victims.
In an emotional moment, Atishi recalled how women, the elderly, and even young children wept uncontrollably as they narrated their experiences. “Their tears are not just of loss but of betrayal,” she said. “They told me, ‘We made a mistake by voting for the BJP. If (Arwind) Kejriwal’s government were in power, our homes would still be standing.’”
Living Under Open Sky
Since the demolition, dozens of families have been living under the open sky in the sweltering Delhi heat, with no shelter, drinking water, or electricity. Tattered plastic sheets, broken furniture, and school bags lie scattered across the area—grim remnants of homes that once stood there.
“We have been living here for 70 years,” said a distraught resident. “Our grandparents settled here after migrating from Tamil Nadu. We have built our lives, families, and livelihoods here. And now, all of them are gone.”
The impact of the demolition has been especially brutal on women and elderly residents. “I work in nearby homes as a domestic helper,” said Gayatri, a 75-year-old widow. “The government gave me a house in Narela, which is 60 kilometres from here. How will I survive there? There are no jobs, no hospitals, and no transport. Who will take care of me?”
Broken Promises and No Rehabilitation
Atishi accused the BJP of running an inhuman and poorly planned demolition campaign with no regard for rehabilitation. “Out of hundreds of families displaced here, only a handful were offered alternative housing, and even that was in Narela—an isolated corner of Delhi with no infrastructure,” she said.
Residents echoed her concerns. Munjan, a driver whose family had lived in Madrasi Camp for decades, shared his plight. “Earlier, I had my own vehicle, but due to financial stress, I had to sell it and now I work for someone else. Now, our house is gone. They came with bulldozers and gave us a deadline of 5 pm to vacate. No help was offered, only threats. Is this how a government treats its people?”
Another resident, Shiva, who runs a small street vending stall, alleged that BJP leaders had promised them homes during elections and even distributed identification cards. “But when the bulldozers came, not a single leader or even our BJP MLA, Tarvinder Singh Marwah, came to speak with us. Only Atishi showed up. She pleaded with the officials to arrange a meeting for us.”
‘No Roads, No Schools, No Dignity’
The few who were given alternative homes in Narela painted a grim picture of their new reality. “It takes over two hours to get there. There are no roads, no schools, and no hospitals,” said another resident. “The buildings are broken and lack even basic water or electricity connections.”
Women expressed particular concern over the safety and security in the new settlement areas. “We cannot leave our daughters alone there. There’s no lighting, no police, and no community. We feel scared all the time. Everything we need—our work, our children’s schools, our support networks—are here. How do they expect us to rebuild everything from scratch, that too without help?” one woman said.
Another woman added, “During elections, they come with folded hands, promising the world. But once the votes are secured, they vanish. This is nothing but political fraud.”
Call for Justice
Following her visit, Atishi posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter): “The BJP asked for votes promising ‘Jahaan Jhuggi, Wahaan Makaan’, but as soon as elections were over, they bulldozed people’s homes in Madrasi Camp. Women, elderly, and youth were sobbing. They now regret voting for the BJP. We will fight for their justice.”
She also promised to raise the issue in the Delhi Assembly and push for immediate relief and rehabilitation for the affected families. “Just five kilometres from here in Kalkaji, DDA flats are lying vacant. If the BJP genuinely cared, they would have allotted those homes. But they chose cruelty over compassion.”
A Cry for Dignity
Back in Madrasi Camp, resilience mingles with despair. Some residents have rented nearby rooms to survive, while others continue to camp out on the streets. Their children’s education has been disrupted, livelihoods shattered, and faith in the democratic process deeply shaken.
Yet, most are unwilling to leave the area. “We will stay here even if it means living on the streets,” a young woman said defiantly. “Our lives are here—our schools, our jobs, our families. We want justice, not relocation.”
The demolition at Madrasi Camp is not an isolated incident. Over the past few months, similar drives have been conducted in other jhuggi clusters across Delhi, often under the guise of development or anti-encroachment. Critics say these drives disproportionately impact the urban poor and reflect a larger pattern of displacement without rehabilitation. Now the DDA’s next target is Batla House locality in the Muslim-dominated Jamia Nagar in the south of the national capital.
Political analysts argue that such actions are at odds with the BJP’s own campaign rhetoric and risk alienating a crucial voter base ahead of future municipal and assembly elections.
Demand for Accountability
As public outcry grows, the Aam Aadmi Party is demanding an immediate halt to all demolition drives, dignified rehabilitation of displaced families, and a judicial probe into what they call a “state-sponsored humanitarian disaster.”
“The BJP must be held accountable,” Atishi concluded. “You cannot win elections on the back of the poor and then bulldoze their lives into dust. Delhi’s citizens deserve better.”
For the residents of Madrasi Camp, the road to justice may be long, but their voices are now louder than ever.
