In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to ‘Housing for All’ and BJP’s promise of providing each slum dweller in the national capital with a permanent (pucca) house, several beneficiaries of this housing scheme launched by the Prime Minister thanked him, calling out the lies and deceit of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls.
Prime Minister Modi last week visited newly constructed flats for the dwellers of Jhuggi Jhopri (JJ) clusters built under the In-Situ Slum Rehabilitation Project at Swabhiman Apartments in Ashok Vihar, aimed at providing better living conditions for the urban poor.
Before the inauguration, PM Modi inspected the flats and interacted with beneficiaries, who expressed their gratitude for the housing.
The Prime Minister expressed his joy at the transformation brought about by his government’s housing initiative. The interaction reflected the positive changes in the lives of families who had previously lived in slums and now have access to permanent homes.
BJP MP from Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency, Praveen Khandelwal, has said that AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal and its party leaders are lying about giving flats to slum dwellers in Delhi.
Launching a scathing attack on AAP for spreading lies about BJP handing over permanent houses to slum dwellers in Delhi, Khandelwal added: “AAP is a “machine of lies” and in this way they mislead the people of Delhi. First Prime Minister Narendra Modi and now today Union Home Minister Amit Shah have made it very clear that permanent houses will be provided to slum dwellers in Delhi. These permanent houses have not come up out of nowhere but instead Prime Minister Modi himself has begun this initiative by handing over 1,675 pucca houses in the Ashok Vihar area of my Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency.”
Slamming the AAP-led Delhi government for its failure to provide homes for slum dwellers, Manoj Tiwari, the BJP MP from North East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, said: “Today Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the President of slum dwellers in Delhi and a large number of people turned up here. Today every word of Amit Shah is a huge message on behalf of the BJP for the people of Delhi, especially the poor and slum dwellers living in the city.”
Local slum dweller, Manzoor Shah, told Media: “I was handed over keys of my pucca house by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s housing scheme meant for slum dwellers living in the city. I hope everyone else like me also gets a pucca house soon. Arvind Kejriwal speaks and makes false claims, I still buy water and drink it, not a single drop of water has come from the water pipelines laid by Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party government. This is all a lie as I still paid Rs 670 as the electricity bill despite electricity being promised free of cost by the Delhi government.”
Another Delhi resident Savitri, told Media: “I have no words to express my happiness today. I know the trouble that I have faced till now but PM Modi gave me a permanent house to live under the housing scheme launched for poor people like me. I have fallen into the drains many times but had to stay in slum colonies till now. Ever since I received the keys to a permanent house as a beneficiary, it is registered in my name due to which my family is quite happy. Now I do not need anyone’s help as earlier when it would rain the drains here nearby the slums used to get filled.”
She further added: “I do not want to say anything about the tall promises made by the Aam Aadmi Party. PM Modi has said that he and the BJP will not let anyone stay without a pucca house anymore.”
Delhi slum-dweller Rachna Singh told Media: “I come from the Kalyanpuri area in Delhi. There are a lot of problems in our slum colony. Firstly, there is a huge problem of availing potable water. Ever since the Assembly elections began in Delhi, the electricity bill has increased. Even the drinking water is full of dirt and mud. The health of people living here has deteriorated since we do not get clean water. The house promised to us by Arvind Kejriwal has not been delivered to me yet despite a certificate given to us based on which I gave my vote to AAP. Arvind Kejriwal had promised to provide houses for slum dwellers like me, but to date, nothing has been delivered.”
She further added: “After 10 years being in power in Delhi, my family have trusted Kejriwal. Now let us also trust BJP once and see. The people of Delhi trusted AAP but 10 years have passed till now. There is no development being done till now but only influence the voters of Delhi by giving them freebies. The AAP government has not delivered on its promises but BJP has delivered on its poll promises.”
Another Delhi resident, Aarti Sharma told Media: “Arvind Kejriwal makes false promises. He has made several false promises to the people living in slums. People like me have suffered a lot in the past five years. The water pipelines that were laid in my area do not work properly as Kejriwal is seeking the support of people like me for votes. We will remind him of the same water pipeline after the elections. I am tired of going to the Chief Minister’s office for the last five years.”
Local resident Ashok Kumar told Media: “PM Narendra Modi has given us a pucca house to live and he has delivered what he had promised. While Arvind Kejriwal promised a permanent house to my family it has not been delivered to me till now since the last 11 years.”
He further added: “After winning the 2020 Assembly election, Kejriwal has not been mentioned even once about people living in slums will be provided with a permanent house. However, PM Modi has already fulfilled this poll promise before the upcoming Assembly polls scheduled on February 5. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has promised that every person living in slums will be provided with a permanent house to live which has been fulfilled now. The Prime Minister delivers what he promises while Arvind Kejriwal has not fulfilled the promises made by him so I think the BJP will form the next government in Delhi this time.”
