New Delhi, Mar 09: Lok Janshakti Party president Ram Vilas Paswan today demanded the government immediately drop the move to shift thousands of residents of the historic Tughlakabad village here and warned that any attempt to move them will be resisted. Addressing a "mahapanchayat" of the villagers, he alleged the NDA government was following "anti-people" policies and was now out to demolish the shelter of the residents of Tughlakabad who fought against the British. He said he would raise the issue in Parliament tomorrow.

"We warn the Centre that any attempt to move the people from their rightful land would be resisted. We will give an adjournment motion in Parliament, if need be. We will continue our struggle till you get justice," Paswan said.

Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, party vice president, claimed that the decision of the land and building department of Delhi government, which had transferred the Tughlaqabad land to the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) in 1995, was void as the village was vested with the Centre after it was "urbanised."

"After the village Tughlaqabad was urbanised in 1966, it was vested with the works and housing ministry of the Central government. Moreover, even those lands were illegally transferred to the ASI which the Centre had allotted to the refugees who had come from Pakistan," he said.

Bidhuri said that he was assured by Delhi chief minister Shiela Dixit and BJP leader Madan Lal Khurana that a "positive" decision would be taken and justice done to the villagers.
In a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Delhi chief minister Shiela Dixit, the villagers urged them to declare residents of Tughlaqabad as the owners of the lands.

Bureau Report