New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday accused the Delhi government of neglecting development work in slums saying living conditions in these areas have deteriorated in its 15-year "misrule".
Launching his `Badlo Dilli Padyatra`, Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel said, "The Congress government has neglected development of Lalbagh and other slums in Delhi. These areas have undergone deterioration instead of progress under its 15-year misrule. The Congress government has failed to provide even the basic amenities in slums, where lakhs of people are living."
BJP`s chief ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan flagged off Goel`s padyatra from Lalbagh area in the Model Town assembly constituency. Delhi BJP treasurer and party candidate from Model Town assembly seat Ashok Goel was also present. Goel would be covering most of the Delhi slums ahead of the December 4 elections, and he would undertake the next leg of yatra in Sangam Park locality.
Interacting with local residents of Lalbagh, Goel reiterated that BJP would reduce power tariff by 30 per cent if it comes to power in Delhi.
"We would also provide power connection through single point scheme in all JJ clusters in Delhi. The party had began this scheme during late Sahib Singh Varma`s tenure as chief minister of Delhi," he said. This scheme would be revived to lower the power bills of the poor`s household substantially, he added.
"The `Badalo Dilli Padyatra` would be undertaken in all the slums in Delhi to expose the Congress` double-speak on the issue of development. Persistent high inflation, high water and power tariff and systemic corruption under the Congress regime have worsened the living conditions in Lalbagh-like areas of Delhi," Goel said.
Ashok Goel said the Congress government`s neglect of Delhi slums was evident from the match-box like huts in Lalbagh.
Alleging that Congress representative of the Model Town has neglected development of the entire constituency, he said that Lalbagh bore the brunt of Congress` apathy. "Basic facilities like water, power, hospital, schools and the like were not easily accessible to people in Lalbagh."
"Congress promised to provide housing to slum dwellers. Lakhs of application forms were submitted under the Rajiv Ratan Awas Yojna. But, the government failed to allot a single flat to any of the applicants," he said.
There were no provision for providing quality education to children of slum dwellers, he said that there were instances where the children were going to schools, but they lack the basic infrastructure resulting in children losing interest and dropping out of school.