Jeethu Chaudhary. (Express/Sourced)Jahangirpuri, Delhi Live News: A local BJP party worker was allegedly shot dead just outside his home by four men in East Delhi’s Mayur Vihar on Wednesday evening.
Meanwhile, hours after the Supreme Court ordered that demolition be halted in Jahangirpuri, the anti-encroachment drive came to an end, with the apex court scheduled to hear the matter on Thursday. The demolition drive comes days after communal clashes broke out in the area. On Wednesday morning, security was heightened across the city, and in Jahangirpuri in particular. A total of 12 companies (around 1,250 jawans) of the CRPF have been deployed in the city in two shifts, most in and around Jahangirpuri.
On Tuesday, in its order remanding two men to police custody for two days in connection with the Jahangirpuri clashes, a Delhi court asked the police to ensure the investigation was carried out in the fairest manner. Remanding Ansar and Saleem to two days of police custody, the court said that “arrest and detention are justified on account of reasons mentioned in the application. Further, investigating agency is hereby directed to ensure that the investigation is carried out in the fairest manner”.
Several teams of Delhi police are at the spot where a local BJP leader, Jeetu Chaudhary, was shot dead at Mayur Vihar. The probe is on and Police are trying to find some lead. Mahender Singh Manral reports.
A local BJP party worker was shot dead allegedly by four men in East Delhi's Mayur Vihar on Wednesday evening just outside his home.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday alleged that the razing of structures in New Delhi's Jahangirpuri is an attempt by the BJP to create circumstances that help it win the civic body polls there. He also accused the BJP of targeting the Dalits, Muslims and other minorities.
Reacting to the civic body action, Yadav tweeted, "Hindu-Muslims live together. But this unity of Hindu-Muslims cannot be tolerated by the BJP and the media controlled by it. MCD elections are going to be held in Delhi that is why the BJP is creating this environment to win the polls." "Poor Hindu-Muslim is getting crushed in all this,” he added. (PTI)
Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi was allegedly stopped by the police from visiting Jahangirpuri where the North Delhi Municipal corporation demolished several structures on Wednesday before the Supreme Court ordered a stay on it. Police personnel were deployed in Jahangirpuri in large numbers as Owaisi tried to reach the violence-hit area.
He lashed out at the BJP and AAP over the anti-encroachment drive action launched by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation in the area. "The AAP is saying they are Rohingyas and Bangladeshis. I condemn it," he told reporters and termed the demolition drive an "example of vigilante justice" and slammed the BJP for it.
"A BJP leader wrote a letter for using bulldozers in Jahangirpuri and the mayor said that they are criminals and their houses should be demolished," Owaisi said. (PTI)
One was selling cold drinks to police until yesterday. Another had been running a store in the building where he was born 40 years ago. A third was saving up for the festival. None had any prior notice, none were given the right to respond — all were scrambling Wednesday evening to pick up the pieces of what was left.
Just hours earlier, as two CRPF officers took position atop Akbar’s home in Jahangirpuri and complained about the harsh sun, the 35-year-old shop owner had immediately split a red flex board into two to make a temporary sun shade. “All I asked was whether the encroachment drive will damage my shop and they promised me it was against scrap dealers,” Akbar said.
Barely an hour later, all that a bulldozer left of his small shop was squashed cigarette packets and cold drinks covered in dust. And all that this family of four was left with was an earthen piggy bank with coins and spare notes. Read More
Opposition parties criticised the anti-encroachment drive held by the BJP-controlled North Delhi Municipal Corporation in the clashes-hit Jahangirpuri on Wednesday, with both the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party accusing the BJP of trying to stoke more violence.
“This is a demolition of India’s constitutional values. This is state-sponsored targeting of poor & minorities. BJP must bulldoze the hatred in their hearts instead,” senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that the only way to end hooliganism in the country was to bulldoze the BJP headquarters. Read More
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Wednesday attacked the BJP after a demolition drive was carried out in violence-hit Jahangirpuri earlier in the day, calling it a “drama” and accusing the party of being responsible for the encroachment in the area.
“This drama of breaking illegal encroachments is being done now. In the past 15 years, why did the MCD allow these encroachments to come up? The illegal constructions that were cleared today… Which neta of the BJP took the money and made those constructions?” Sisodia asked after a demolition drive was carried out at Jahangirpuri earlier in the day. Read More
CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat stands in front of a JCB to stop the demolition during the anti-encroachment drive at Jahangirpuri.
Ashu (36) runs an automobile repair shop in the mosque premises of Jahangirpuri. He has estimated losses of Rs 1.5-2 lakh in today's demolition exercise. His shop's shutters have been damaged as well as three vehicles, including a bullet bike which a customer had left in the shop for repair.
Ganesh Kumar Gupta (54), who has a juice shop in Jahangirpuri, said his shop is legal and was allotted by the DDA in 1977. "My father ran this shop before me. I had all the documents, but the authorities did not wait. I have suffered a loss of at least Rs 5 lakh. I was not worried because my shop is legal. I will now approach court."
Jamaludin, a 72-year-old resident of Jahangirpuri, said the North MCD demolished the water pipe and bathroom of their house during the anti-encroachment drive.
"Our family of seven has no source of water. They did not give any notice. We assumed they would just pick up garbage and clean the road, but the bulldozer just razed everything."
Speaking on the now-halted demolition drive in Jahangirpuri, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind secretary Niaz Ahmed Farooqui said that by initiating this drive days after communal clashes were witnessed less than a week ago, the government is favouring rioters.
He said the government is "targeting a community" and urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene and stop the demolition drive.
Hitting out at those alleging biased action in the Jahangirpuri violence case, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said action has been taken on the basis of "crime and conspiracy", not on "caste and community".
The senior BJP leader's remarks came after All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that "one-sided action" is being taken in the Jahangirpuri violence case.
Naqvi said the culprits have been arrested on the basis of the crime committed by them and not on the basis of their creed. No one should be allowed to harm the harmony of society, he said.
Some people are constantly engaged in delivering "no-ball of hate" and "hat-trick of hostility", the minister told reporters. (PTI)
The Delhi High court agreed to hear during the course of the day pleas against the anti-encroachment drive in violence-hit Jahangirpuri, but refused to interfere in the process at this stage.
Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi asked the lawyers, who mentioned the cause for urgent listing and relief, to file their petitions and said, "I am not saying anything (on stopping the demolition) but that they (authorities) should be ready (with instructions)."
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma stated that the Supreme Court is already seized of the issue.
The Acting Chief Justice said that the petitions would be heard during the course of the day once they were filed, and observed that "there was nothing new" and the drive was "already in contemplation". (PTI)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the government over the use of bulldozers in violence-hit areas of Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to switch off "bulldozers of hate" and switch on power plants.
He also raised the issue of coal shortage in the country and shared a news report that claims that India stares at outages as coal stocks at power plants hit a low.
While mentioning that the demolition drive in Jahangirpuri is continuing despite the Supreme Court's status quo order, Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave said, “It sends a terribly wrong message that even after SC order it is not being stopped."
CJI NV Ramana then directed the SC Registry to communicate its order immediately to the muncipal authorities and Delhi police officials.
North MCD stopped the anti-encroachment drive in Jahangirpuri following a communication from the Supreme Court registry.
Special CP (law and order of northern zone) Dependra Pathak said they have received the apex court order on maintaining 'status quo' in Jahangirpuri and now the demolition drive has been stopped.
North MCD Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh said the anti-encroachment drive in Jahangirpuri will be stopped soon as authorities have received the Supreme Court order.
Earlier, Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave had again mentioned against the demolition continuing in Jahangirpuri despite the status quo order. CJI NV Ramana had asked the Supreme Court Registry to communicate the status quo order to North Delhi Mayor, North MCD Commissioner and Delhi Police commissioner.
CPI(M) eader Brinda Karat reached Jahangirpuri, where an anti-encroachment drive is underway despite the Supreme Court halting the action.
"At 10.45 am, the SC gave an order to maintain the status quo on the demolition drive, I have come here for the implementation of the order," she told reporters.