Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Delhi Assembly, Atishi, met with residents of Madrasi Camp in Delhi’s Jangpura Assembly constituency on Wednesday, days after the BJP Government ran bulldozers over their jhuggis, leaving hundreds homeless. She assured the affected families that she would fight to secure them justice.
Delhi Assembly LoP Atishi took to ‘X’ and wrote, “The BJP had asked for votes promising ‘Jahaan Jhuggi, Wahaan Makaan’, but as soon as they won the election, they ran bulldozers over Madrasi Camp. When I went there today, women, the elderly, and youth — all were sobbing uncontrollably. They were saying that they made a mistake by voting for the BJP. If Kejriwal had been in power, he would never have allowed their jhuggis to be demolished.”
Local resident Munjan said, “Years ago, my parents came here from Tamil Nadu to live. I work as a driver here. Earlier I had my own vehicle, but due to lack of money, I had to sell it and now work for someone else. Now even our home has been demolished — where do we go? The BJP had earlier said that where the jhuggi is, they would give houses there. But after we gave them our vote, they demolished our home and didn’t even provide us with rehabilitation. They have demolished 370 jhuggis from here but haven’t given homes to everyone.”
LoP Atishi said that the BJP has failed in its promise. “They had promised ‘Jahaan Jhuggi, Wahaan Makaan’, but now they are making people homeless and not providing them with any homes.”
Shiva, who runs a street vending stall, said, “BJP leaders had come earlier and distributed their cards, but when our homes were being demolished, no one showed up. Even our MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah didn’t come. Only Atishi came. She pleaded with the officials to arrange a meeting between the jhuggi residents and the authorities.” On this, Atishi assured them of all possible help. She said, “We stand with you. We will arrange your meeting with the officials.”
Gayatri, 75 years old, works as domestic help. She said, “I work in homes near the Madrasi Camp and that’s how I earn my livelihood. I live alone at home — my husband has passed away, and I have no other family. The house that has been given to us is 60 kilometres from here. There is no work there through which I can earn and live. Atishi said the government’s intention is not right — they rendered people homeless and then also snatched away their livelihoods. Just 5 kilometres from here in Kalkaji, houses are lying vacant. If the intention had been right, they would have given people homes here itself.”
