Bulldozers went to work today in several Delhi localities, including Mongolpuri in the north and New Friends Colony in the south, to remove encroachment, NDTV reported on Tuesday.
“The exercise, part of a drive by civic bodies to clear illegal construction, is being carried out in the presence of police force to prevent any untoward incident and prevent protesters from stalling the demolition exercise,” the report said.
While Mongolpuri falls under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, New Friends Colony is under the South Delhi Municipal Corporation – both controlled by the BJP.
It said that today’s drive comes a day after a similar exercise in Shaheen Bagh, the centre of a protest by women against the citizenship law, was halted following an assurance by Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah and traders that illegal structures will be removed.
“Activists and Opposition parties have alleged that the drive targets a particular community, especially after it was carried out at north Delhi’s Jahangirpuri days after a communal clash there during a Hanuman Jayanti procession,” the NDTV reported said.
Following the violence, which left eight policemen and a civilian injured, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta wrote to the north Delhi mayor, urging him to remove illegal constructions by ‘rioters’ in the area.
While mayor Raja Iqbal Singh had said the demolition drive was part of a routine exercise, the timing raised questions regarding political motives. (NDTV)
