AAP hits out at Railways, questions timing of demolition drive

New Delhi: AAP on Sunday hit out at the Railways following the death of a baby in Shakur Basti area and questioned the timing of its demolition drive, which rendered "several homeless on a cold day".

The ruling party termed the drive as "sudden" action and said earlier too similar activities were planned by Railways, but could not materialise following "intervention by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the state government".

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"Off all the seasons, they choose this bitter cold season to remove poor people from here. What was the national emergency that impelled them to demolish the shanties? Earlier too, they had planned the drive three-four times, but it was not undertaken following CM's intervention. But on Saturday they came with a big force and suddenly, demolished the shanties. Now where will people go in this cold," questioned Delhi Minister Satyendra Jain.

Senior party leader and MLA Sanjay Singh made similar charges and said as per court orders passed in the past, the Railways should have arranged for rehabilitation of people.

"If the people you are going to remove are staying at the place concerned beyond a certain timeframe, you have to arrange for their rehabilitation first as per court orders. You cannot render people homeless thus," he said.

"Certainly, the Centre needs to think whether it can conduct such demolition drives, you will demolish homes of poor during night, kill people," he added.

A baby died in Shakur Basti area in West Delhi where a demolition drive was carried out by railways, triggering an angry reaction from Chief Minister Kejriwal.