Less than two months after the Delhi elections, the BJP has launched a brutal demolition drive against jhuggi dwellers, laying bare the hollowness of its pre-poll promises. In a scathing attack, AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj pointed out to the BJP’s betrayal of the poorest of the poor — the very people it courted with ‘Modi Guarantee’ cards and slogans of Jahaan Jhuggi, Wahaan Makaan.
“Arvind Kejriwal had warned that if BJP came to power, it would snatch away the roofs over people’s heads. That is exactly what’s happening,” he said, as families in Jangpura are being forcibly pushed 50 kilometres away to Narela, where even basic amenities like drinking water are absent. The AAP Delhi State President Bharadwaj demanded immediate provision of alternative housing within a 5-kilometre radius, calling the BJP’s actions a direct betrayal of the trust of thousands of Tamil-origin residents now facing eviction.
Addressing a press conference, AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj said that during the recent Delhi Assembly elections, BJP leaders distributed “guarantee cards” in ‘jhuggis’, especially targeting the residents of Madrasi Camp in Jangpura, with the promise famously articulated by PM Narendra Modi: “Where there’s a ‘jhuggi’, there will be a home.” These cards, he noted, carried this guarantee on one side and the name of the cardholder on the other.
The AAP Delhi State President said the Madrasi Camp is home to nearly 500 families, many of whom have been living there for 40–50 years. However, not even two months into forming the government in Delhi, the BJP has shown its true colours. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA), which falls under the BJP-led central government, has now served notices to these residents stating that they will be relocated to Narela in exchange for their current homes.
Saurabh Bharadwaj explained that these families work in the neighbouring areas: some as domestic workers, others as labourers for local contractors, and some run small food stalls selling idli-dosa. He pointed out that many children from these families study in a nearby school where Tamil is taught—a vital cultural and linguistic resource for the predominantly Tamil community.
“The BJP-led Centre wants to relocate them 40–50 km away to Narela. What will happen to their children’s education? How will children commute 50 km daily for school? What will happen to the livelihoods of the residents, most of whom earn their living in nearby neighbourhoods? How are they supposed to travel such long distances to work every day? How will they sustain their lives?” Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned.
He added that some residents had even inspected the houses offered in Narela, only to find them in a deplorable condition. “There isn’t even a supply of potable water. The BJP government must answer: how do they expect people to survive drinking saline water? How can anyone live in such conditions?”
Calling out the BJP’s hypocrisy, Saurabh Bharadwaj reminded that just two months ago, BJP leaders were spending nights in these very ‘jhuggis’, organizing “Jhuggi Samman Yatras” to woo votes. “Now that they’ve won the elections and formed the government in Delhi, their real character is being exposed. Arvind Kejriwal had repeatedly warned that the BJP would snatch away all the facilities provided to the poor and hand over their land to capitalist friends. Today, the BJP is proving him right.”
Saurabh Bharadwaj appealed to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and all residents of Tamil Nadu to take note of the BJP’s double standards. “On one hand, the BJP seeks votes in Tamil Nadu; on the other hand, it is snatching roofs from over the heads of Tamil residents who have lived in Delhi for decades. I urge CM Stalin to raise his voice against this injustice.”
Through the media, Saurabh Bharadwaj urged the BJP-led central government to ensure that alternative housing is provided within a 5-kilometre radius of existing ‘jhuggis’. “This will allow children to continue studying in their current schools and enable residents to maintain their livelihoods in surrounding areas.” He concluded by citing Delhi law, which states that all DUSIB-listed ‘jhuggi’ clusters must be relocated within a 5-kilometre radius of their original location.
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