No demolition without rehabilitation, says Kejriwal

As a political slugfest broke out over slum demolition issue, AAP on Monday hit back at Rahul Gandhi alleging such actions were also carried out under Congress rule while Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called him a child. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to visit the slum in Shakur Basti, while the Trinamool Congress has chose to join the AAP protests outside Parliament.

The report comes in sharp contrast to Railway minister Suresh Prabhu’s statements in Parliament on Monday, where he defended the demolition saying that the child had died before the drive began and that the encroachers in slum land had refused to vacate the land despite repeated notices.

“Instead they should provide help to the people who have been displaced & rehabilitate them”, Gandhi said on Twitter.

Earlier, Prabhu informed Lok Sabha that encroachments have been a “security hazard” which have been impeding improvement.

Police said prima facie the baby died after a heap of clothes fell on the child while his parents were preparing to move out of the jhuggi and hence no case is made out.

Asked whether the demolition drive has got the nod from Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, the DRM said, “It is not required as the concerned authority is competent enough to carry out the task to keep the track areas free from encroachment”. It is a very sad thing and I think that a murder case should be registered against the officers.

“What is not in dispute that in the demolition drive that commenced on December 12 at least 1,600 dwellings in Shakur Basti (West) Delhi near Madipur Metro Station were demolished”. The post mortem said the toddler died 30 hours before the autopsy indicating she might have died around 9.30 AM. “As officials came knocking, we started quickly packing our belongings”. The parties are condemning the Arvind Kejriwal-led party over no prior arrangements to rehabilitate people who were thrown out of their shanties as part of a railways demolition drive. The CM has suspended two subdivisional magistrates and another senior official for “failing to arrange” food and shelter for those who had been evicted.

Rahul Gandhi criticized AAP’s protest, tweeting: “Why is AAP doing dharna?”

Another resident of the Shakur Basti, Mohd. Kejriwal had met the Railway officials yesterday and was unhappy with the response which the officials gave to him.

The bench also asked the Delhi government to “coordinate with the authorities and provide every possible support they can to people who have been put to risk of life in this winter”.