Row Over Slum Demolition: Kejriwal Calls Rahul A ‘Kid’

The post mortem report says death was because of shock as a result of chest and head injury by blunt force impact.

NHRC has also made a decision to send a team of its officers to conduct on-the-spot inquiry at the two spots where demolition drives were undertaken and submit reports within one week. Gandhi said: “We will fight for you… But we will try to protect you, we will fight your battle”. He even talked to the slum people and promised that they will provide every kind of assistance to them.

“Now they are busy blaming each other”. Kejriwal rebutted Rahul saying the latter was “still a kid” and that probably the Congress had not apprised him of the fact that the Railways, which carried out the razing, fell under the central government.

“In the meeting, Railway officials told the CM said that there is no rehabilitation scheme before demolition”.

The chief minister was told that the Railways had served notice to the encroachers in Shakur Basti to vacate the land as early as March and again in October but no one had budged. Prabhu clarified in the House that the shanties were encroachments and “safety hazards”. “Whenever a slum is demolished, call Rahul Gandhi”. In a press statement, NSUI said that it strongly condemns this act of inhumanity by the govt. officials. The HC also directed government agencies to make a coordinated action plan for rehabilitation.

Gandhi and Maken criticised both the central and Delhi governments for the demolition.

The demolition was carried out on Saturday in which over 1,200 slum units were removed, with the railways insisting that the action was necessary to clear the “encroachments” for expanding infrastructure.

After allegations that an infant died in the demolition, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday that no shanties will be razed unless its inhabitants are first rehoused.

“First, people living in slums will be rehabilitated peacefully, then the vacant land will be handed over to the railways”.

Meanwhile, he admitted that the railways could have led its demolition drive after winters. Kejriwal had met the Railway officials yesterday and was unhappy with the response which the officials gave to him.

The Congress leader’s reaction came after AAP members protested against the demolitions in Parliament.

The Railways had demolished some 500 hutments at Shakur Basti on Saturday, leaving hundreds homeless in the winter chill.

The Delhi Development Authority is reported to have carried out the demolition at the Belagaon area.