Delhi CM Atishi slams BJP leaders’ night stays in slums; panic reaction, says Sachdeva

New Delhi: In the run-up to the Delhi Assembly elections, Chief Minister Atishi on Monday hit out at the night stays by BJP leaders in slums as a “drama” for vote bank politics, a charge denied by the Opposition party. 

Addressing the media, Atishi claimed that BJP leaders were distributing dresses and goodies in slums and making lists of voters for deletion from electoral rolls, while Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said this is an interaction exercise, especially with the youth, in slum clusters to understand their problems and solutions directly from them.

CM Atishi said, “If there is any well-wisher of slum dwellers in the city it is Arvind Kejriwal, an Indian Revenue Service officer who quit his job and served people while living, spending six months in a slum cluster in Seemapuri.”

“Don’t fall into the trap of BJP leaders, who will visit your slum and later get it demolished,” said CM Atishi, citing the example of Sunder Nursery cluster near Nizamuddin that was razed in 2023 winter soon after BJP leaders went there for interaction with dwellers.

CM Atishi advised slum dwellers to accept the goodies that leaders from other parties gift them but urged them to continue to vote for the AAP.

Reminding slum dwellers about the AAP government’s welfare schemes like free power, free water, free Mohalla Clinics, free education and free bus travel for women, CM Atishi said, “AAP MLAs and leaders consider slum dwellers as their family members whereas BJP is anti-poor.”

She cited the example of Rajinder Nagar slums that were recently put under virtual lockdown and covered with curtains during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Pusa area. “They consider slum dwellers as untouchables and do not want them to come close to them,” she said.

AAP MLA from Rajinder Nagar alleged slum dwellers who work as daily wagers, house helps and e-rickshaw drivers were facing hardships as large curtains had been put outside their homes and their movement was restricted like it was done during the G20 Summit last year.

Meanwhile, the BJP claimed the AAP was in a state of panic due to the fear of being exposed by the pathetic state of civic amenities in slums.

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said, “We have understood what challenges slum residents are facing. We are committed to resolving them and ensuring that the upcoming BJP government in Delhi will improve their lives through DUSIB.”

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BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Gautam said, “The BJP government, which will come to power in Delhi in February 2025, will serve the last person in the slums with the spirit of Antyodaya”.

BJP’s Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta said, “We are not just seeking votes from slum dwellers but have built a relationship aimed at transforming their lives and educating their children.”

The AAP attack on the BJP’s slum night stay programme comes close to visits by the Opposition party’s leaders to 1,194 slum clusters in the past few days. Dwellers in about 750 city slums form a big chunk of voters and account for 30 per cent of the city’s population.

Delhi Assembly elections to pick a 70-member House are expected to be announced any day and are likely to be held in February.