The Delhi Assembly during its one-day special session on Monday passed a resolution that there should be no eviction of slums in the midst of a pandemic and that there should be prior rehabilitation before any eviction.
“In the midst of a raging pandemic, there should be no eviction whatsoever, as such displacement will only exacerbate the prevailing situation and put at risk the lives, health, safety and security of the lakhs of inhabitants of the JJ clusters in peril. Prior rehabilitation must precede any attempts at eviction of these residents or demolition of their houses. This is the minimum guarantee held out by our Constitution, especially Article 21,” the proposal read.
The Assembly session was held with special seating arrangement, following strict COVID-19 measures. Four AAP MLAs were tested positive as part of the testing before the session. “AAP MLA Parmila Tokas had tested negative in antigen testing, but her RT-PCR result came out to be positive when she was at the Assembly around 3 p.m. and she was immediately isolated,” an official said.
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Five police officers and two Delhi government officials also tested positive.
CM’s assurance
Addressing the Assembly during the discussion of the proposal on slums, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said, “I assure all the 48,000 slum dwellers that your homes will not be demolished. We will ensure pucca houses to all 48,000 slum dwellers before they are moved”
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He assured that either the Central government will give slum dwellers a permanent house or else the Delhi government will do it. “I am happy with the affidavit filed by the Central government in the Supreme Court today, where they have said that the Delhi government, Railways, and Urban Development Ministry will jointly find a solution to this problem in the next four weeks. The Central and Delhi government will work together so that our 48,000 Delhiites can get their legal rights,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
AAP MLA Raghav Chadha attacked the BJP and said that the Supreme Court was hearing a case only on the cleanliness of Delhi, but the BJP’s Railway Ministry filed an affidavit and demanded the removal of slums. He said that last week, the Delhi government-run Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) wrote to the Railways, in which it has been asked to not demolish any slum without providing alternative accommodation.
Handling situation
During the session, when the AAP came under attack from the BJP of the management of COVID-19 situation in the city, Mr. Kejriwal said that Delhi has conducted the highest tests in the world with 3,057 tests conducted per day per million population.
“Highest tests in the world is being done in Delhi and 11% of the population has been tested,” he said. He also thanked the Central government for its help and added that everyone helped, including individuals and NGO, to fight the disease.
“I want to request the Opposition leaders, I am not saying that the corona management in Delhi is 100% correct. We have shortcomings and we have to correct them. It is our responsibility as well as your responsibility to check on the mistakes. If you find someone positive, please call me and Satyendar Jain, we will work together to treat him,” he said.
When BJP pointed out that Satyendar Jain had gone to a private hospital for treatment when he had COVID-19, Mr. Jain replied that he was initially admitted at a Delhi government hospital and he was shifted to a private hospital as he was advised by the doctors to undergo plasma therapy and it was not available in government hospitals.
The session started with members paying homage to the Indian soldiers who were killed in the Galwan Valley and late former President Pranab Mukherjee.