BJP takes credit, woos residents; AAP alleges Centre misleading people

With the Delhi Assembly elections inching closer, the war of words between the ruling AAP and its main rival BJP has intensified over the regularisation of unauthorised colonies in the Capital.

The BJP launched its campaign to garner support from an estimated 40 lakh residents of the 1,731 unauthorised colonies after the Union Cabinet gave its nod for the regularisation of the colonies. Many hoardings with the photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have already been put up in some areas, including Sangam Vihar and Burari.

Accusing the BJP of misleading the people on regularisation of colonies, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: “DDA website says that Centre’s scheme will neither regularise unauthorised colonies nor their houses. Really shocking. Can’t believe that BJP spoke such a blatant lie to the people and has put up so many hoardings Thanks @HardeepSPuri ji for telling truth to people through DDA website.”

Addressing a Press conference on Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged the BJP is lying on the regularisation of colonies.

DDA colonies Cell portal was launched by the BJP Government on December 16 purportedly to register residents of unauthorised colonies to apply for ownership rights. The AAP has claimed the BJP has put up hoardings across the city claiming that the 1,731 unauthorised colonies are now authorised.

“The BJP misled the people by placing hoarding-banners that claim 1,731 colonies have been regularised, whereas the truth is that no such thing has been done as admitted on the DDA’s own website. This is a fraud on the 40 lakh people living in Delhi’s unauthorised colonies. The BJP must apologise to the people for this huge betrayal,” said Sisodia.

“Just before the elections, the BJP is playing with the sentiments of 40 lakh people living in unauthorised colonies to get their votes. The BJP must apologise to the people living in the unauthorised colonies of Delhi,” he said.

During the Press conference, Deputy CM Sisodia logged in to the DDA web portal and opened the FAQs section. The second point on the list of FAQs clarified that there was no regularisation of unauthorised colonies.

He said, “From the day the BJP started talking about regularising the unauthorised colonies of Delhi, the AAP has maintained that the BJP is hoodwinking people in run up to the elections. On December 22, when the Prime Minister addressed a thanksgiving rally at Ramlila Maidan, even then we had asserted that it was in fact a betrayal rally”, he said, adding the BJP has no intention to give registry to the people living there.

“I am very thankful to Union Minister Hardeep Puri for exposing the BJP’s lies to the people of Delhi before the elections. At least Hardeep Puriji has the courage to openly say on their DDA website that the BJP’s hoardings are full of lies,” he said.

“14 days have passed since the BJP Government launched the portal for registration. Despite the BJP installing 14,000 hoardings in Delhi, not a single application has been successfully completed for registry. According to the Central Government, 100 complete applications have been received, but according to our information, not a single application has been completed yet,” he claimed.

“There were mainly two important works to be done with respect to unauthorised colonies. The first one was to regularise colonies and the second, to develop colonies. The task of regularisation was with the Central Government and the development of the colonies was with the Delhi Government. The Delhi Government fulfilled all its responsibilities such as laying drains, roads, sewer lines, water pipelines, street lights, CCTV cameras, but the Central Government did not do its part,” he said.

He also said the BJP has ‘conned’ the people of Delhi and said, “One can register on this with any address from a regular colony as well, and one would still get a website registration number. This is a fraud on the people that the BJP is committing. The people of Delhi were expecting permanent registry before the election as per BJP’s claims, but instead are getting inconsequential website registration numbers.” There are about 1,731 unauthorised colonies in the national Capital.

Countering the AAP allegations, the BJP has launched ‘hoardings war’. “Over 5,000 hoardings will be erected at vantage positions in the 1,731 unauthorised colonies which have been benefited by the Modi Government’s move to pass a Bill in Parliament for providing property ownership rights to the residents,” said Virendra Sachdeva, co-convener of Delhi BJP’s media team for Assembly polls.

The elections for 70 Assembly seats in Delhi, due early next year, are likely to be announced by the Election Commission soon. Sachdeva said the BJP has also started setting up helpdesks in unauthorised colonies to assist the residents to get their documents of properties uploaded on DDA portal to begin the process of registration. The helpdesks equipped with computers, scanners and Wi-Fi connections are drawing big crowds and helping thousands of people in regularising of their houses and lands in these colonies everyday, he added.