Delhi Slum Demolition Sparks Political Clash Amid Homelessness Concerns

On Monday, Delhi Police resorted to using water cannons to manage Congress leaders and workers as they protested the demolition of slums in Delhi. The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) President, Devendra Yadav, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of demolishing approximately 3,000 slums, leaving about 15,000 people homeless.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta recently inspected close to 50,000 unused Delhi Development Authority flats in Sultanpuri. She asserted that the BJP is committed to ensuring housing for the poor, blaming previous administrations for not allocating these units to slum dwellers for over a decade. The flats, built in 2011, require substantial repairs.

Highlighting PM Modi's vision for housing every poor person, CM Gupta stressed that no slums should be destroyed until alternative housing is provided. She directed various agencies to prevent slum demolitions and proposed policy amendments and legal action to protect slum dwellers' rights. Gupta criticized the opposition for politicizing slum dwellers as vote banks.

(With inputs from agencies.)