Residents of Shaheen Bagh began a protest as the SDMC launched its anti-encroachment drive with the help of Delhi Police personnel
Locals sit on roads and stop bulldozers that have been brought for the anti-encroachment drive in the Shaheen Bagh area. Twitter/ @ANI
Bulldozers and JCBs reached Shaheen Bagh Monday as the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) pushed ahead with its anti-encroachment drive in the locality that had hit headlines as the hotbed of the anti-CAA stir.
Meanwhile, a petition challenging the demolition drive is to be mentioned before the Supreme Court today. The Chief Justice of India asked the petitioner to mention the matter before Justice LN Rao’s bench which had considered the Jahangirpuri demolition.
Residents of Shaheen Bagh hit the roads as the SDMC launched its anti-encroachment drive with the help of Delhi Police personnel. Locals staged a sit-in on the roads, stopping bulldozers.
The exercise, earlier scheduled to be held on Friday, had been cancelled due to the unavailability of adequate security force.
According to Free Press Journal, local leaders, including Congress workers, have begun protesting against the municipal corporation’s demolition drive in Shaheen Bagh.
“This is a bulldozer of hatred. It is completely unconstitutional. We will not let this demolition happen,” a Congress leader said.
Protestors questioned the corporation’s intention behind the drive. “You [BJP] have been ruling MC for the past 15 years. What happened suddenly?” the protestor asked.
People were seen standing atop the JCB bulldozers.
Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan also reached the spot amid the commotion over the planned demolition drive. He said the action was being undertaken to “deliberately disturb law and order.”
“I am here now. Let them show where the encroachment is,” he added.
Locals claimed there was no illegal encroachment on public land.
The SDMC has reportedly prepared a 10-day action plan to remove encroachment from several areas, including Shaheen Bagh.
Chairman of SDMC’s standing committee (central zone), Rajpal, said the municipality will do its work and encroachments would be removed from wherever they were.
“Our workers and officials are ready. Teams and bulldozers have been organised. Encroachments will be removed wherever they are — be it in Tughlakabad, Sangam Vihar, New Friends Colony or Shaheen Bagh,” Rajpal was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
South Delhi mayor Mukesh Suryan told ANI that adequate police force is necessary for maintaining law and order in the area during the anti-encroachment drive. People of Delhi support this drive, he added.
Senior police officials were also present at the spot along with their personnel to provide security to SDMC officials carrying out the anti-encroachment drive in the area.
“Police personnel have been deployed at the spot where the anti-encroachment drive is being carried out. This is being done to ensure that the concerned civic bodies can carry out their work without any hassle and with all safety,” a senior police official said.
Encroachment drives were planned in SDMC areas after Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta wrote to the party-ruled civic body’s mayor on April 20 to remove encroachment by “Rohingyas, Bangladeshis and anti-social elements”.
Earlier, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta had written to the civic body’s mayor last month, demanding removal of encroachment by “Rohingyas, Bangladeshis and anti-social elements”.
The demolition drive is taking place under the shadow of a similar exercise in north Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, days after a communal clash broke out in the area during a Hanuman Jayanti procession.
The 20 April, 2022, exercise at Jahangirpuri had thrown up heart-rending visuals of people begging authorities to stop as bulldozers razed homes and shops. Structures near a mosque, which was at the centre of the Hanuman Jayanti clash, were also razed.
The exercise continued even after a Supreme Court’s stay order and the court had to intervene again. The court had taken serious note of the continuation of the drive after its order. Incidentally, a hearing on the matter is scheduled for today.
With inputs from other agencies
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