Delhi: AAP alleges ‘BJP using demolition threat to extort money’

The row started after Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta on Thursday wrote to the mayors of the South and East civic bodies to identify and demolish “illegal encroachment” in their jurisdictions.

Two days after the North Delhi Municipal Corporation ran an “anti-encroachment drive” in violence-hit Janhangirpuri, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders on Friday said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionaries from the civic bodies are using the bogey of demolition to extort money from people across Delhi.

Security personnel a day after the anti-encroachment drive in violence-hit Jahangirpuri, New Delhi , India, on Thursday, April 21, 2022. (Photo by Amal KS/Hindustan Times)

The row started after Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta on Thursday wrote to the mayors of the South and East civic bodies to identify and demolish “illegal encroachment” in their jurisdictions. In the wake of this letter, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia wrote to AAP MLAs asking them to help people being “targeted by the BJP”.

“The BJP has decided to extort as much money as it can in its final days in MCD. They are threatening people with demolition of homes and shops, and in return, are seeking money,” alleged Sisodia.

“We are getting complaints from many people that BJP leaders are now going to homes and shops of Delhiites and threatening people that if they do not pay a certain amount in bribes, they will bulldoze their houses too. People have complained to me personally in my assembly constituency Patparganj as well. I have also received complaints from societies in areas such as Green Park. People are very scared at the moment. Seeing the rampant hooliganism of the BJP, the people are afraid to come forward in fear that they may actually demolish their homes and shops,” Sisodia wrote.

He said the Delhi government would support residents.

“Tell the residents of your constituency that the Delhi government and AAP are standing in support of them. If such a case comes to the notice of any MLA, then they should help the people and catch hold of the extortionists of BJP and hand them over to the police, as well as bring such cases to the notice of the government immediately,” Sisodia wrote.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “We are receiving several such complaints from all over Delhi. The public won’t tolerate this type of blatant extortion and hooliganism. Is this why the BJP has postponed MCD elections?”

Leader of Opposition in Delhi assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, meanwhile, rejected AAP’s allegations as baseless and fictitious.

Delhi BJP chief Gupta alleged that AAP was trying to protect Bangladeshis and Rohingyas whom they have helped settle in the national Capital.

“AAP leaders are afraid that Rohingyas and Bangladeshis will now face MCD’s bulldozers and the protection money AAP leaders get from them will be lost,” Gupta said.

EDMC mayor Shyam Sunder Aggarwal too rejected Sisodia’s allegations and said the corporation would reward any person who could prove that bribes had exchanged hands.