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V.P. Singh spits venom on sealing, demolitions

Staff Reporter

`Thousands being targeted in the name of turning Delhi into Paris'

NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister V.P. Singh along with the Communist Party of India general secretary, A.B. Bardhan lashed out at the Congress-led Government at the Centre and the Sheila Dikshit Government for going back on promises made to the people and appealed to the electorate to bulldoze such governments during the next polls.

Expressing strong reservations over the ability of the Union Government and the Delhi Government to provide relief to the people, Mr. Singh said it was unfortunate that even after getting a unanimous legislation passed in Parliament putting an end to sealing and demolitions in the Capital for one year, the bulldozers continue to uproot the people as well as those living in JJ clusters. "This is an indication of weak and poor governance where the Government's have failed to implement their own law. Thousands of people are being targeted in the name of beautification of the Capital as the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit wants to turn Delhi into Paris," he remarked.

Mr. Singh said even in countries like France and United States of America, there is no history of the labour class being uprooted for developmental cause or to beautify the city.

Mr. Singh was addressing a huge rally organised at the V.P. House lawns that marked the launch of "Delhi Bachao Sangram" by the Jan Morcha, Nationalist Congress Party, CPI and Janata Dal (S). The organisation would seek to provide relief to people affected by sealing and demolitions and will provide an alternative to the Congress and BJP. The convenor of the rally was NCP Delhi unit president and MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and it was also attended by Jan Morcha national president and MP Raj Babbar, NCP leaders Tariq Anwar and P.A. Sangma and Deputy Speaker of Delhi Assembly Shoaib Iqbal.

Mr. Singh exhorted those present at the rally to teach the Congress Government at the Centre and in Delhi a lesson. "Those who ran bulldozers over our houses should be taken to task and next time let us run our bulldozer of votes over their heads," he remarked. Stating he was pained by the attitude of the Congress that had gone back on its promises made during the last polls, the former Prime Minister said the Congress Government was doing exactly the opposite of what it had promised for the slums and JJ clusters. Lashing out at the sealing drive, he said it was amazing to know that the authorities have suddenly found illegal buildings that have existed for the last 40 years.

Mr. Bardhan alleged the ongoing drive against illegal constructions was selective and asked whether the efforts to make the Capital into another Paris would be achieved by evicting poor people from their abodes. He also lashed out at the water and power crises faced by the Capital and the exploitation of the consumers by the private distribution companies that were imposing the burden of inflated bills and fast running meters on innocent people.

Mr. Raj Babbar said he was with the people of Delhi in their struggle for justice from the Government relating to sealing and demolitions, uprooting of JJ clusters and on the poor power and water situation in the Capital. Mr. Bidhuri said the time had come for the people of Delhi to look for an alternative and said the campaign against such injustice would be given a new shape by next month.

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