New Delhi:
Hours later the anti-encroachment drive was halted in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh area, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Monday informed that it will carry out the process again tomorrow in New Friends Colony.
“Bulldozers of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will be running tomorrow as well. Illegal encroachments will be removed in New Friends Colony from 11am tomorrow,” said Rajpal, Chairman standing committee, SDMC central zone.
Earlier in the day, the protestors including Congress activists forced the SDMC team to return with cranes brought to demolish the illegal buildings. The SDMC arrived with a massive security cover by the Delhi Police in the Kalindi Kunj-Jamia Nagar area near Shaheen Bagh.
The locals said there are no illegal structures in the area which is why the cranes had to return. They alleged that the SDMC team did not produce any notice before starting the drive as their intention is not to tear down the illegal structures but to target one minority.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan and a large number of people reached the spot to protest against the MCD’s anti-encroachment drive. The bulldozer operation was earlier canceled by the authorities due to the non-availability of adequate police force. On April 28 also, a demolition drive scheduled at Jasola and Sarita Vihar was canceled due to the non-availability of adequate police force.
The encroachment drive in SDMC areas was planned after Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta wrote to the mayor of the party-ruled civic body on April 20 to remove encroachments by “Rohingyas, Bangladeshis and anti-social elements”. The SDMC has prepared a 10-day action plan to remove encroachment from these areas including Shaheen Bagh. On May 10, a drive will be organized near Gurdwara Road near New Friends Colony. On May 11, it will be held at Meherchand Market, Lodhi Colony near Sai Baba Mandir and near JLN Metro Station.
Wajid Khan, the councilor of the area, has come out in support of the shopkeepers.
He said, “If action is right then I am with MCD, otherwise I will not allow any wrong action. We are also against encroachment, but wrong action will not be tolerated. Action in Shaheen Bagh is only political.”
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