As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led administration once again demolishes the homes of the poor in Wazirpur, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly condemned the BJP’s ‘Bulldozer Politics’ and demanded justice for the displaced jhuggi residents. Senior AAP leaders visited Wazirpur on Tuesday to meet families rendered homeless after yet another demolition drive razed 350 jhuggis to the ground. Delhi AAP President Saurabh Bharadwaj demanded answers from Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, questioning where these displaced residents have been rehabilitated—if at all.
Saurabh Bharadwaj condemned the CM for “lying every day” about not allowing a single jhuggi to be demolished, exposing what he called a betrayal of the BJP’s own ‘Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makaan’ promise. “The truth is, jhuggis are being torn down across Delhi, and Wazirpur is the latest victim. Hundreds of poor families have been thrown onto the streets,” he said. AAP leaders Sanjeev Jha (MLA, Burari) and Akhilesh Pati Tripathi (former MLA, Model Town) joined the visit, reaffirming the party’s commitment to stand with the poor against the BJP’s bulldozer-driven cruelty.
During this, AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj said that BJP leaders, from Delhi State President Virendra Sachdeva to MPs and MLAs, used to visit jhuggis for “night stays” before elections. “Back then too, AAP had warned jhuggi residents that BJP leaders weren’t coming to stay, they were coming to inspect the jhuggis they planned to demolish if they won. AAP had clearly said that if BJP forms the government, they will raze the jhuggis. The BJP had promised ‘Where there is a jhuggi, there will be a house’. Today, that slogan has been shamelessly replaced with ‘Where there is a jhuggi, there will be a bulldozer,’” he stated.
Saurabh Bharadwaj added that jhuggi residents have only one demand: give us homes, then remove our jhuggis. “But without providing a single house, jhuggis are being torn down across Delhi. Not just Wazirpur, but also Okhla, Madrasi Camp near Barapullah, and Andrews Ganj have faced demolition drives by the BJP government. In Bawana Rohini Sector-22, 300 jhuggis were first set on fire, then completely cleared,” he revealed.
He further pointed out that Delhi’s CM Rekha Gupta blatantly lied to the public. “Every day, the CM claims her government isn’t letting a single jhuggi be demolished, while hundreds of jhuggis are openly being razed. The CM is lying through her teeth and cheating the poor in broad daylight. What kind of cruel joke is this?” Bharadwaj asked.
Saurabh Bharadwaj highlighted the economic assault on the poor, stating, “Even small sources of livelihood like an electronics shop were destroyed. The government has neither provided employment nor made alternative arrangements for their livelihoods. Both the roof over the head and bread on the table are being snatched from Delhi’s poor. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had visited the flats at Jailorwala Bagh and promised that jhuggi dwellers would first be given homes before any demolition. Today, that promise has been replaced by lies and deception.”
Meanwhile, AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha said, “BJP’s senior leaders once stayed in these very jhuggis and made grand promises. The current CM keeps repeating that no jhuggis are being demolished. I invite her to see for herself how homes are being razed in Wazirpur. If she has even an ounce of shame, she should visit and see the devastation. Children who were attending school are now homeless, forced to live under the open sky.”
Calling for basic humanity from the ruling government, Sanjeev Jha said, “The CM should show a shred of humanity to these poor families whose homes are being destroyed. These are the very people who work in the luxurious homes of Delhi’s elite. If the government thinks it can raze jhuggis and still expect the city to function, it is gravely mistaken.”
He reminded the CM of the BJP’s now-abandoned promise, ‘Where there is a jhuggi, there will be a house.’ “If the CM has a conscience, she should come to the ground and witness the injustice these people are facing,” he said.
Sanjeev Jha reaffirmed AAP’s commitment to fight for the jhuggi dwellers at every level. “AAP leaders are visiting affected areas regularly and will provide all possible legal support. Whether it is on the streets or in court, AAP will raise this issue at every platform—including the Delhi Assembly and Parliament. We will not tolerate this injustice against the poor,” he declared.
Former AAP MLA Akhileshpati Tripathi also condemned the BJP’s betrayal of Delhi’s poor. “The BJP’s character, behaviour, and intentions have now been exposed. Before elections, BJP leaders stayed in jhuggis and ate with residents. Even then, Arvind Kejriwal had warned people to be cautious of BJP’s motives. His warning has proven true. The BJP, which once promised ‘Where there is a jhuggi, there will be a house,’ is now bulldozing jhuggis to create empty grounds. This betrayal has deeply hurt the people,” he said.
Akhileshpati Tripathi demanded immediate rehabilitation for all affected families. “The law requires a survey, followed by allocation of homes, and only then demolition. This government has not only shamed humanity but also violated the law. AAP will fight against this injustice on the streets, in court, and in Parliament. Saurabh Bharadwaj has come here today as Arvind Kejriwal’s representative. All AAP leaders will become the voice of jhuggi dwellers and lead this struggle forward,” he concluded.
