“Illegally encroaching government land and using it for illegal activities is a criminal act according to our Constitution, law and order. This illegal act has taken place in East Delhi and by none other than BJP MP Gautam Gambhir and I am not saying this, his own party MLA from Gandhi Nagar, Anil Bajpai ji has exposed this,” AAP's MCD poll in-charge Durgesh Pathak said.A day after an Express report on Delhi BJP MLA Anil Bajpai writing to Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena demanding a CBI probe into “illegal allotment of dhalaos (dumping grounds) under Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to individuals, NGOs and private organisations” – a veiled attack on BJP MP Gautam Gambhir – Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders on Saturday demanded action against the East Delhi MP.
“Will BJP appointed LG initiate enquiry against BJP MP?” Greater Kailash MLA and AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said in a tweet along with an image of the Express report.
In his letter to the L-G, Bajpai, the BJP MLA from East Delhi’s Gandhi Nagar, alleged that in some Assembly constituencies in East Delhi, the space allotted to dhalao area “has been converted into rasoi (kitchen), library, and other works and ownership has been to private organisations”. Though Gambhir was not named, the connection was apparent as the cricketer-turned-politician, through his NGO, runs four community kitchens and has also got community kitchens and a library constructed on land that was earlier an MCD dump yard in Priya Enclave.
“Illegally encroaching government land and using it for illegal activities is a criminal act according to our Constitution, law and order. This illegal act has taken place in East Delhi and by none other than BJP MP Gautam Gambhir and I am not saying this, his own party MLA from Gandhi Nagar, Anil Bajpai ji has exposed this and has written to L-G and other senior officials of MCD demanding a CBI probe into the matter,” AAP’s MCD poll in-charge Durgesh Pathak said at a press conference, demanding an investigation into the matter.
Pathak said that AAP had been repeatedly exposing how the BJP was robbing Delhi of its public land by giving them to its own people and that a BJP MLA himself had put the truth in front of everyone. “MCD’s dhalaos are not for personal use. MCD lands are meant to be used only for public use, giving them to someone for personal use is a criminal act. We demand L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena conduct a time-bound investigation and ensure strict punishment for all culprits. We had earlier exposed a similar case where a BJP councillor had allotted MCD land to her own husband,” Pathak added.
Pathak said that Bajpai has mentioned that sanitation workers used to take some rest at these places which have been allegedly encroached on. They also used to dispose of garbage. “Now, all these activities have been stopped and due to this, the public is facing a lot of trouble in Gandhi Nagar and its surrounding areas. In fact, this place has been given to Gautam Gambhir and his NGO, where all kinds of activities are taking place,” Pathak alleged.
Pathak further said, “Anyone will fume with anger when they get to know that government lands are being encroached on. How is it even possible for an individual, Gautam Gambhir, to capture the land belonging to MCD? This is very wrong and it should not have been done. After looking at these activities, we have realised that MCD, which runs on the money of taxpayers of Delhi, has been converted into a private firm for a few BJP politicians.”
He said that when AAP had raised the matter, BJP tried to dismiss the complaint. But now, the same concern has been raised by a BJP MLA himself through this letter. “Anil Bajpai is a respected senior member of the BJP and he was appointed as the observer by the party in the presidential elections,” Pathak said.
An aide of Gambhir said that Bajpai, who was earlier with AAP before he joined BJP, is trying to return there again. “He is in touch with people in AAP and is following their instructions,” the aide said.