Bulldozers In Shaheen Bagh: Locals, Congress Workers Stall MCD As They Oppose Demolition Drive

Shaheen Bagh Anti-Encroachment Drive: The situation appeared tense as people standing in front of the MCD bulldozer and climbing over it are being cleared from the spot.

New Delhi: BJP-ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Monday faced protests from locals as it reached the Shaheen Bagh area to conduct a demolition drive there. As soon as the bulldozer arrived, people gathered in front of it to prevent its movement. Congress party workers and AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan are among those present at the spot, alleging that the drive is politically motivated to target Muslim-dominated areas in the garb of anti-encroachment.

Locals are alleging that the Delhi Municipal Corporation did not produce the required notice ahead of the demolition drive.

SDMC's Central Zone Chairman, Rajpal Singh told news agency PTI that its teams with bulldozers, trucks, and police force reached Shaheen Bagh to remove illegal encroachments there. "Removal of encroachment is our obligatory function which we are carrying out," he said.

Delhi Police and CRPF personnel were deployed at the spot but the situation appeared tense as people standing in front of the bulldozer and climbing over it were being cleared from the spot.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla lashed out at the Congress party as he responded to the allegations around the drive: "Action on illegal encroachments being taken in Kalindi Kunj, Sangam Vihar, Amar colony, New Friends Colony, Lodhi road too. But for Congress and DISHAHEEN ecosystem action only being taken in Shaheen Bagh! From electricity supply in Rajasthan to uniforms to this - Congress."

Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan also joined the protest at Shaheen Bagh and said: "People have already removed encroachments on my request. 'Wazu khana' and toilets outside a mosque here were removed in presence of police, earlier. When there are no encroachments, why have they come here? Just to do politics?", news agency ANI reported.

Shaheen Bagh falls under the central zone of SDMC and was the centre of protests and sit-ins against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in December 2019. The sit-in was called off in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic struck the city.

According to PTI, the demolition 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".

Recently, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation had come under fire from several civil rights groups and opposition parties after it bulldozed structures in the Jahangirpuri area in an anti-encroachment drive. It was stopped following the Supreme Court's intervention.

The SDMC prepared a 10-day action plan to remove encroachment from these areas, including Shaheen Bagh.

(With Agency Inputs)