AAP failed to provide homes promised to slum dwellers, now shifting blame: BJP’s Parvesh Verma

Team Udayavani, Jan 13, 2025, 4:12 PM IST

BJP leader Parvesh Verma Monday accused AAP of failing to fulfil its pledge of providing homes to slum dwellers and claimed these people have not got houses despite paying large sums of money to the Delhi government under its housing scheme for them.

The BJP candidate who has been fielded against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal in the upcoming Assembly polls, slammed the former Delhi chief minister for his repeated claims that the saffron party would demolish all slums in the city if it is voted to power.

“AAP has made a mockery of the system. They have been lying repeatedly, misguiding the people of Delhi, especially the poor living in jhuggis (slums),” the BJP leader said.

At a press conference here, Verma posed, “I want to ask Kejriwal, who is building his own ‘Sheesh Mahal by destroying the homes of the poor, will he not provide homes to these people?” The BJP has been taking jibes at Kejriwal and his AAP over the renovation of the bungalow once occupied by the former Delhi chief minister and has dubbed it a ‘Sheesh Mahal’ for the “lavish spending” on it.

Verma alleged that many slum dwellers have paid up to Rs 1 lakh under the housing scheme for them but have not received the homes they were promised. The Delhi government failed to deliver on its commitment, he claimed.

At the press conference, also attended by several slum dwellers affected by the housing issue, Verma presented documents, which he said were obtained through RTI applications, showing that while the government had taken the money under the scheme, the promised flats were never handed over to the applicants.

“If Kejriwal cannot keep his promise, I think he should not fight this election,” he said, exuding confidence about the BJP’s win in the upcoming elections.

The remarks by the challenger to Kejriwal in his New Delhi Assembly seat came after the AAP chief challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to withdraw all cases against people living in ‘jhuggis’ and resettle those displaced within 24 hours, vowing not to contest the elections if the BJP complies.

Verma also showed documents that purportedly indicated that demolition of slums had been carried out by the AAP-governed Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and slammed the party for “not being able” to resolve the issues facing slum dwellers while shifting blame onto the BJP.