The BJP’s so-called ‘four-engine’ government’s demolition spree has now shifted from jhuggis to livelihoods. In a fresh assault on the poor and marginalized, the party has issued notices to raze decades-old shops at Mirdard Marg, Matia Mahal — threatening to uproot traders who’ve sustained the local economy for generations.
Senior AAP leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, visited the site on Monday, extending full support to shopkeepers and calling the move a deliberate attempt to crush both shelter and income in one blow. She asserted that the BJP is pushing Delhi’s working class from their homes and now off their feet. Asserting that AAP will resist this attack on all fronts — streets, courts, and assembly — Atishi warned the BJP’s bulldozer won’t roll unchecked. AAP MLA Aaley Mohammad Iqbal joined her in solidarity with the traders.
Targeting the BJP’s governance model in Delhi, Delhi LoP Assembly Atishi stated, “The BJP is a party against the Constitution and the poor. Ever since Delhi came under the control of their so-called ‘four-engine’ government, they have done nothing but harass common citizens. One by one, jhuggis across the city are being demolished, leaving people homeless. These are the same BJP leaders who used to visit jhuggis before elections, play with children, and eat meals with families. But the moment they formed the government, they began tearing down the very homes they once entered for votes.”
Slamming the BJP’s intent behind the demolitions, she added, “What exactly does the BJP want? Should Delhi’s people lose their jobs, lose their homes, and be forced to live on the streets? The Aam Aadmi Party stands firmly with every shopkeeper and business person of Mirdard Marg. We will stand with them on every front. Let the BJP bring in their bulldozers — we are ready to resist them head-on.”
Recalling BJP’s poll promises, Atishi emphasised, “Before the elections, BJP leaders went around Delhi making grand declarations — ‘Jahan jhuggi, wahan makaan.’ But we all saw what actually happened. Wherever they went, jhuggis were demolished. In the Madrasi Camp of Jangpura, homes were razed. I visited the site the very next day. I saw people crying tears of blood. They were holding BJP’s ‘Jahan jhuggi, wahan makaan’ card, printed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photograph. But when the bulldozers came, no one came to save their homes — not even those BJP leaders who once shared meals in those same houses.”
Highlighting the wider pattern of demolition, she said, “After destroying homes, the BJP now wants to crush the livelihoods of the poor by targeting their shops. I visited the Chunabhatti JJ Camp in Karol Bagh and the Nangli Dairy area — people have lived there for 40 to 50 years. Even there, similar demolition notices have been pasted. Ever since BJP’s four-engine government came to power, all four engines have been running only to torment the poor.”
Warning the BJP not to underestimate the downtrodden, the Delhi Assembly LoP said, “They’ve forgotten how powerful the poor are. We are the ones driving vehicles, running shops — right now our hands are busy running Delhi. But if the poor are pushed to the edge and decide to stop the city, everything will come to a halt. Never underestimate their strength. I am here today among you, and I want to say — Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party have always stood by the poor, and always will. You are not alone in this fight. Whether on the streets, in Parliament, or in court — we are with you.”
Referring to another instance, she added, “Even in Batla House, the BJP’s anti-poor government had pasted demolition notices, but we moved the courts and stopped them. I want to assure all of you — you don’t need to worry. Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party are hiring lawyers for your defence. The Constitution gives you the right that if someone has lived in a place for 30 years, they cannot be evicted like this. We will not allow the BJP to shred the Constitution.”
