Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Monday firmly defended her party’s stance regarding the Shakur Basti land use issue, stating that official documents prove the involvement of Lieutenant Governor Saxena in authorizing the land-use change. Atishi’s remarks come a day after Saxena denied accusations from AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, who had claimed that the DDA, under Saxena’s leadership, approved the changes and hinted at potential demolitions if the BJP wins the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.
“Despite the statement made by LG Saxena yesterday denying the allegations, the documents are crystal clear,” Atishi said, pointing to the evidence from a DDA meeting that confirmed the changes in land use. She also accused the BJP of being deceptive, claiming that while BJP leaders engage with slum dwellers during election time, they later destroy these same communities after the elections.
Atishi’s statement comes in response to Kejriwal’s remarks made at a slum cluster in Shakur Basti on Sunday. Kejriwal had alleged that the BJP intends to demolish slums across the city to make way for builders, exploiting the land for their own gain after winning the elections. He also called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah to withdraw all legal actions against slums that have faced demolition over the past decade.
In the same week, Atishi, who is running for the Kalkaji seat against BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress’ Alka Lamba, visited the Kalkaji temple to seek blessings before filing her nomination. Expressing her gratitude, she said, “The people of Kalkaji have given me a lot of love. I am not contesting this election; the people of Kalkaji are contesting it.”
As the election campaign intensifies, the Shakur Basti issue remains a point of contention, reflecting ongoing tensions between the ruling AAP and the opposition BJP.
