Jahangirpuri Demolition: CPI(M) Sitaram Yechury Leads Dharna Against Govt

New Delhi: Two weeks after communal tensions erupted in Jahangirpuri, opposition political parties continue to raise concern over the demolitions carried out by Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in the area. On Thursday, the Delhi state committees of CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), and others organised a protest march to Delhi's Jantar Mantar against the incident.

The dharna was addressed by General Secretary, CPI(M) Sitaram Yechury, Polit Bureau Member, CPI(M) Brinda Karat, Polit Bureau Member, CPI(ML) Liberation Kavita Krishnan, and other leaders of the left parties.

The Left party members asserted that the demolition drive in Jahangirpuri has been an attempt by the right-wing forces to disrupt the communal harmony in the area through armed procession in the name of Hanuman Jayanti. The party members called the incident a demolition of the ethos of Indian Democracy.

CPI(M) General Secretary Comrade Sitaram Yechury alleged that the communal tactics are being employed by the ruling party to distract the people's attention from the failure of government in multiple spheres with unabated price rise and unemployment. He said that the struggle against communalism must go hand in hand with the intensified struggles on the everyday issues of the people.

On April 20th, the civic body sent in nine demolition machines at 10 a.m. and began clearing a street of Jahangirpuri C-Block. The JCBs were unstoppable though a Chief Justice-led Supreme Court bench, responding to an urgent plea by senior advocate Dushyant Dave.

CPI(ML) Liberation member Kavita Krishnan, while addressing the gathering at Jantar Mantar, also took a jibe at the Aam Aadmi Party stating the Kejriwal led party did not take a stand against the bulldozer incidents and instead the its PWD wing collaborated with MCD to partake in the unfortunate event.

Questioning the motives of the opposition parties, Krishnan asked, "Where are the opposition (political) parties? How is it that the senior members of the Left party reach at the spot and stand in front of the bulldozer? When asked such things we say that the Left has always stood with the poor."