The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) traded barbs over the regularisation of unauthorised colonies in the Capital even as the Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019, which will grant ownership rights to residents living in 1,731 such colonies.
AAP national spokesperson Raghav Chadha termed the Bill “an eye wash exercise” by the BJP-led Centre, arguing that the AAP government, in November 2015, had conducted “careful surveys and studies” to examine the situation in such colonies and subsequently presented a proposal for their regularisation. He claimed that BJP-led Central government had been “sitting on their proposal for the past five years”.
“The BJP did not take any steps towards regularisation of unauthorised colonies then, but has now suddenly woken up from deep slumber in view of the upcoming Assembly elections. The BJP wants to woo 40 lakh residents of unauthorised colonies and are resorting to these desperate measures,” Mr. Chadha alleged.
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “strong willpower” and “continuous efforts” for positively impacting the lives of an estimated 40 lakh residents of unauthorised colonies, even as he termed “unfortunate” AAP MP Bhagwant Mann leaving the House while the Bill was passed.
“With this, [Delhi Chief Minister Arvind] Kejriwal’s real face towards the issue of unauthorised colonies has been exposed in front of Delhi. Kejriwal will have to answer why his MP boycotted [the proceedings] while the Bill was being passed,” he demanded.
