Hardeep Puri hits out at Kejriwal on unauthorised colonies

Union minister for housing and urban affairs Hardeep Puri said, “People in public life should be careful when they distort the facts because their lies can be caught. He (Kejriwal) is taking credit for something which he has been trying to stop all along.”

Accusing Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal of taking undue credit for the move to provide ownership to residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi, Union minister for housing and urban affairs Hardeep Puri said on Friday said the CM had been trying to stall the process.

Union minister Hardeep Puri Friday said Kejriwal had been trying to stall the ownership process. (HT File Photo)

Kejriwal announced on Thursday that residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi would soon get ownership of their properties, hinting at a possible resolution of a politically sensitive issue that has dragged on for over a decade.

“People in public life should be careful when they distort the facts because their lies can be caught. He (Kejriwal) is taking credit for something which he has been trying to stop all along,” Puri said.

Refusing to comment on the minister’s statement, an adviser to the CM?said, “We would not like to comment on this now as it is no time for a blame game.”

Puri said he had written multiple times to the Delhi government seeking to expedite the process of identifying colonies for consideration before revision of guidelines. The Union minister said the state government had sought further extension till 2021.

The Centre has also filed a public interest litigation (PIL) related to unauthorised colonies and the Delhi high court constituted a committee to examine revision of the regulations, Puri said.

“The Delhi government was requested to furnish certain information related to unauthorised colonies required for consideration before revision of guidelines. Your government repeatedly informed that it will take minimum two years from August 1, 2017 to July 31, 2019 to collect and submit this information after a survey of the unauthorised colonies,” Puri said.

The central government said due to the delay by the state, many colonies were left to be considered for regularisation. “First we asked them to collect all information under the direction of the high court. They first asked for two years’ time till 2019 and then they asked for an extension till 2021. Their own letter says that. They were till now asking for more time,” a senior official in the ministry said, requesting anonymity.

The move involves legal approval from the Union government, which Kejriwal said on Thursday, was expected “very soon” since the central ministry had conveyed a “positive response” to a proposal sent by the Aam Aadmi Party government in 2015.