A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed slum people at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal Sunday, taking a swipe at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said that the latter’s party would demolish all the slums if it comes to power in the national Capital.
While calling himself the “protector of slums and slum residents”, Kejriwal challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to withdraw all cases against people living in 'jhuggis' and resettle those displaced within 24 hours, vowing not to contest the elections if the BJP complies. "I will not contest the elections if Amit Shah withdraws all the cases against the slum dwellers or displaced people. If the BJP fails, I will contest and stand as a shield for the slum dwellers. Let's see who destroys them," Kejriwal claimed while addressing a press conference in the Shakur Basti area on Sunday.
As of August 2023, Delhi has 675 big and small slums in Delhi, which have at least 350,000 families (3.5 lakhs) and around 15 lakh living in them – 27% of the population. 45% of these households have 4-5 members, 22% have 6-8 members and 5% have more than 9 members. The assembly constituencies with a big base of slum voters are Narela, Adarsh Nagar, Wazirpur, Model Town, Rajendra Nagar, Sangam Vihar, Badarpur, Tughlakabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Seemapuri, Babarppur, Trilokpuri, Kondli, Okhla, Moti Nagar, Madipur, Shalimar Bagh, Matiala and Kirari.
Traditionally, this group has overwhelmingly supported the AAP, thanks to the party’s welfare schemes, including free electricity, bus rides for women, subsidised healthcare, and improved sanitation. Yet, the BJP is attempting to upend this dynamic by spotlighting unaddressed grievances and positioning itself as a solution-driven alternative.
“In 10 years, BJP constructed only 4,000 jhuggis for 4 lakh people. So, it will take 1,000 years to provide a house for all of them in Delhi,” he said. “If you vote for BJP, then it will be like you signing on a suicide note. BJP has made plans to demolish all the jhuggis in Delhi. They will demolish all the slums within a year of forming the govt,” Kejriwal said.
He also criticised the BJP's 'Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makaan' scheme, calling it an eyewash. "In the past 10 years, they have constructed only 4,700 flats for slum dwellers. Delhi has 4 lakh 'jhuggis.' At this rate, it will take them 1,000 years to provide homes for all slum dwellers in the city," he said.
AAP convener claimed the Delhi Lt Governor had changed the land use of slum areas on December 27, paving the way for their demolition immediately after the elections. He alleged that the Railways had already tendered land occupied by slums on September 30.
Meanwhile Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva dismissed Kejriwal's allegations as baseless and countered with accusations of his own. In a veiled attack, Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva hit back at Kejriwal of "provoking" and "frightening" slum dwellers and assured them of a concrete house for the poor person of Delhi. Attacking Kejriwal he said, "He provokes and frightens them. By saying (your) slum will be demolished. It is Modi's guarantee that every poor will have a concrete house." stated that in the last 10 years, Arvind Kejriwal has left 50,000 flats of the Rajiv Awas Yojana in areas like Narela to decay into ruins. “However, not a single flat has been provided to people living in slums,” he said.
Kejriwal also alleged that the BJP has plans to take over the land currently occupied by slum dwellers without addressing their housing needs. "They will demolish all the slums and acquire the land without any concern for the people living there," he added.
Echoing similar sentiments, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia said on X, "Arvind Kejriwal has exposed every lie and conspiracy told by Amit Shah to the people living in 'jhuggis.' The BJP has rendered 3 lakh people living in 'jhuggis' homeless in the last 10 years. Now, it is plotting to demolish every 'jhuggi' in Delhi. People living in 'jhuggis' of Delhi, remember, this is a bulldozer party. If you vote for the BJP, all these 'jhuggis' will be demolished within a year."
Kejriwal was accompanied by senior AAP leader Satyendar Jain, the party's candidate from the Shakur Basti constituency. Jain is seeking re-election from the seat for the fourth time, after winning it in 2013, 2015 and 2020.
Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, and BJP candidate from Rohini, Vijender Gupta, criticized former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s newfound sympathy for slum dwellers, calling it a new drama by the Aam Aadmi Party. Gupta questioned Kejriwal’s claim of considering slum dwellers his everything and asked why AAP's "love for slums" suddenly arose during election time. He pointed out that AAP leaders have been absent for the past decade while slum dwellers have been deprived of even basic facilities. Now, as elections near and AAP fears defeat, they suddenly remember the slum dwellers. Even though there is no alliance between the AAP and the Congress party, the elections in the national capital are predominantly being seen as a fight between the Aam Admi Party and the BJP.
