In the heart of Delhi’s Matiala constituency, fear looms large over the jhuggi dwellers of Nangli Dairy, as they brace for the BJP government’s bulldozers to arrive at their doorsteps. On Tuesday, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Delhi Assembly, Atishi, visited the settlement and met families living under the constant threat of forced demolition.
Standing amidst broken dreams and anxious voices, the Delhi Assembly LoP assured them that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would fight—on the streets, in the Assembly, and in the courts—to protect their homes from being razed. Atishi pointed out that the BJP is hell-bent on rendering thousands homeless, tearing down houses that people have built with years of sweat and sacrifice.
After meeting residents on-site, senior AAP leader and Delhi Assembly LoP Atishi said The BJP is preparing to demolish houses in Nangli Dairy. Today, when I met the people there, fear and helplessness were palpable in every household. She recounted a heart-wrenching moment with an elderly woman who said, “I built this small home with my life’s savings. Will I now have to watch it be torn down before my eyes?”
The Delhi Assembly LoP declared, “The BJP government in Delhi is not just breaking walls—it is crushing the dreams, trust, and existence of the poor. From the streets to the Assembly, we will become the voice of these displaced people. The Aam Aadmi Party stands firmly with them, come what may.”
She added that ever since the BJP came to power in Delhi, demolitions of jhuggis have intensified. “After razing homes in Bhoomihieen Camp, Madrasi Camp, and Wazirpur, the BJP has now set its sights on the homes of the poor in Nangli Dairy, Matiala. The anti-poor BJP government has issued demolition notices for the area. It is clear that the BJP wants to evict the poor from Delhi,” she said.
Atishi assured the residents that AAP would fight every battle to stop the destruction of their homes. “We will take this fight to the courts. A senior lawyer has been appointed to protect these families from becoming homeless,” she announced.
Recounting her visit, she said, “When I met people in Matiala, their eyes were filled with fear, and their hearts with helplessness. Whether in government or opposition, every AAP leader will fight for the poor till our last breath. We stood with Delhi’s poor before, we stand with them today, and we will always stand with them.”
She strongly criticised the BJP for its betrayal. “Before elections, BJP leaders visited jhuggis, ate food with residents, played carrom with children, and promised to build houses where the jhuggis stood. But after winning, the same BJP government is demolishing jhuggis one by one and rendering the poor homeless. Every promise made by BJP before elections has proven to be a lie,” she said.
Atishi further pointed out that the BJP government had earlier run bulldozers in Wazirpur, Madrasi Camp, Bhoomihin Camp, and Jailerwala Bagh, displacing thousands of people. “Now, the BJP is planning to uproot families from Nangli Dairy. PM Narendra Modi promised during elections that jhuggi residents would be given houses where they live. But the truth is, the BJP has flattened jhuggis and left behind empty grounds.”
“The Aam Aadmi Party will fight for these displaced citizens in the streets, in the Assembly, and in the courts. We have engaged a senior lawyer to take up their case and save their homes,” she reiterated.
During this time, an elderly woman living in Nangli Dairy said, “I’ve been living here for years. There is no one in my home. I built this small house with my life’s savings—do I now have to watch it being torn down before my own eyes?”
