Delhi saw anti-encroachment drive in several parts on Thursday yet again, days after bulldozers reached the Shaheen Bagh area - once an epicenter of protests against the citizenship law or CAA - earlier this week. AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan was seen in a south Delhi locality - Madanpur Khadar - as he protested the action by the civic body.
"I am ready to go to jail if it saves the houses of poor people. There is no encroachment here. I will support them (civic body) in demolition if there is any encroachment," the 48-year-old leader was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The locality also witnessed sloganeering. A large number of people gathered to protest the action, showed a video shared by ANI. The demolition drive was announced by the municipal corporation of Delhi earlier in several areas.
Also read: Major uproar in South Delhi as bulldozers reach Shaheen Bagh, MLA joins stir
The Municipal Corporation's action against the illegal encroachment began in the national capital in several areas on Thursday, including Dwarka, Janakpuri, New Friends Colony, Rohini, Chaukhandi, and other surrounding areas.
{{/usCountry}}The Municipal Corporation's action against the illegal encroachment began in the national capital in several areas on Thursday, including Dwarka, Janakpuri, New Friends Colony, Rohini, Chaukhandi, and other surrounding areas.
{{/usCountry}}Bulldozers were seen demolishing the extended parts of shops in Dwarka’s Sector 3. Apart from this, the anti-encroachment drive was also being carried out in the Janakpuri area.
Earlier on Wednesday, the civic authorities carried out a similar drive in Najafgarh and the South Delhi Municipal Corporation’s west zones, removing illegal structures and hoardings that were said to be put up illegally at various locations, including Dwarka, Chaukhandi, and surrounding areas "The anti-encroachment drive was conducted despite the protest. We have removed only illegal temporary structures and kiosks. It is our duty to remove encroachment and we will continue our crackdown on violators," Chairperson of SDMC's west zone, Shveta Saini, said, reported news agency PTI.
On the other hand, several left-wing organizations had taken out a citizens' march to the Delhi lieutenant governor's residence to protest the move.
Two weeks ago, the Delhi police had written to the BJP-ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) stating its inability to provide sufficient staff to assist civic body officials.
Also read: Bulldozer & forces reach Delhi's New Friends Colony, day after Shaheen Bagh stir
Meanwhile, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation had also come under fire from several civil rights groups and opposition parties after it had bulldozed structures in Jahangirpuri as a part of the anti-encroachment drive.
As the matter had reached the top court, the Supreme Court had clarified that its order staying the demolition drive by NDMC is “not a license to protect unauthorized encroachments”, while it had also turned down a petition by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) seeking a stay on an anti-encroachment drive in south-east Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh earlier this week.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)