AIMIM Chief Owaisi Visits Jahangirpuri Area
New Delhi, April 20: Jahangirpuri has now turned into a political drama for several parties as leaders are blaming each other over violence and anti-encroachment drive in the area. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday evening visited the violence hit Jahangirpuri area to meet victims. “Action of bulldozer was unconstitutional,” he said. Owaisi slammed BJP and AAp over ‘playing politics’ on Jahangirpuri issue. He also asked why Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is shying away from visiting the area. Earlier in the day, CPI (M) Leader Brinda Karat also visited violence hit Jahangirpuri against the anti-encroachment drive and discussed the matter with Special Commissioner of Police Dependra Pathak. She alleged that the civic body disregarded the Supreme Court order of maintaining Status Quo in the area. She stopped the JCB machine by standing before it. “What North MCD is doing is complete contempt of court,” she added. The North MCD paced itself in the most ruthless manner by not even serving notices towards razing the unauthorised livelihood of the poorest of the poor in the locality. This was a targeted unconstitutional ‘bulldozer culture’ upon the very same sections who have survived an attempted riot on April 16, CPI (M) Delhi State Committee, in a statement, said. In the morning, people got information that a two-day anti-encroachment drive would be done in the area as per a letter issued by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation said that an encroachment removal drive will be carried out on illegal construction in the area for two days -April 20 and 21. The civic body-ruled by the BJP in fact requested Delhi Police a 400-strong police personnel to handle the law and order situation. The bulldozing action was seen as similar as in several other states that had seen alleged communal clashes starting Ram Navami. However, over an hour after the anti-encroachment demolition drive was taken up by the civic body in Jahangirpuri, the Supreme Court ordered status quo and stayed the North Delhi Municipal Corporation action. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana said status quo be maintained in the case. The matter will be listed before the appropriate bench tomorrow (Thursday), the bench added. The Assistant Commissioner, Civil Lines Zone of North MCD, in the letter, has requested 400 police personnel, “including lady police/outer force for maintaining law and order during the encroachment removal action on April 20 and 21”. The BJP-controlled North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Tuesday wrote to the North West DCP demanding security for the anti-encroachment drive on Wednesday and Thursday. “Notorious elements, mostly bad boys of the areas, alleged rioters will be at the receiving end of the MCD action,” Raja Iqbal Singh, Mayor, North MCD. “The special joint encroachment removal action programme comprising PWD, local body, Police, and the Works/Maintenance Department, Health Department, Sanitation Department, Veterinary Department and Enforcement Cell of North DMC is to be fixed in Jahangirpuri area,” the letter said. This is the maximum deployment of forces that the area will see during the “routine” anti-encroachment action
