Shaheen Bagh: Locals sit on roads, AAP MLA leads protests against MCD`s anti-encroachment drive

Shaheen Bagh in Delhi is witnessing huge protests by the locals against MCD`s demolition drive in the area on Monday. Amanatullah Khan, the local AAP MLA, was seen leading the protests against the MCD.

New Delhi: Hundreds of locals on Monday sat on roads, held protests and shouted slogans amid reports of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) preparing to begin its demolition drive against illegal encroachments in the Shaheen Bagh and adjoining localities in the national capital on Monday.

News agency ANI shared visuals of people sitting on roads and holding protests against the civic body's demolition drive here.

Amanatullah Khan, the local AAP MLA, was seen leading the protests against the MCD at Shaheen Bagh. "People have already removed encroachments on my request. 'Wazu khana' & toilets outside a mosque here were removed in presence of police earlier. When there are no encroachments, why have they come here? Just to do politics?'' Amanatullah Khan said.

Hitting out at the Delhi's ruling AAP, senior BJP leader and its Delhi spokersperson Khemchand Sharma called local AAP Councilor Wazid Khan and Amanatulla Khan, the AAP MLA from Okhla - as ''goons'' who were creating obstacles against the MCD's anti-encroachment drive in Shaheen Bagh. He alleged that they are trying hard to save ''illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas.''

The South Delhi MCD, which has already completed its preparations, is expected to start its anti-encroachment drive in the area anytime soon. The civic body had earlier postponed its drives in the Kalindi Kunj-Jamia Nagar area near Shaheen Bagh due to the unavailability of an adequate police force.

SDMC's standing committee (central zone) chairman, Rajpal, said the municipality will do its work and encroachments would be removed from wherever they were.

It was earlier reported that the Delhi Police had refused to provide security to the MCD due to manpower shortage. However, it later emerged that the Delhi Police has now assured adequate security to the SDMC officials.

After security assurance from the Delhi Police, it is now almost certain that MCD will run its bulldozers in the Shaheen Bagh and adjoining areas to remove illegal encroachments in the area.

Bulldozers will reportedly run from Shaheen Bagh Main Road, Jasola Nala and Kalindi Kunj Park area today. For this, MCD has already issued a notice in this regard. 

The SDMC has reportedly prepared a 10-day action plan to remove encroachment from several areas, including Shaheen Bagh. It is worth noting that Shaheen Bagh comes under the jurisdiction of SDMC and in December 2019 there was a prolonged sit-in protest against the amended citizenship law in this area. This sit-in demonstration ended in March 2020 after the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic.

It may be mentioned that the North Delhi Municipal Corporation had come under fire from several civil rights groups and opposition parties after it bulldozed structures in the Jahangirpuri area in an anti-encroachment drive. The operation was stopped following the Supreme Court's intervention.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (CPI-M) Marxist has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the order to remove the illegally built settlements in Okhla, Shaheen Bagh in South Delhi. It has been said in the petition that the authorities have made plans to demolish the slums.

It has also been said in the petition that on May 4, bulldozers were run on the buildings of the poor in Sangam Vihar.