Satyendar Jain says Modi wants to raze down unauthorized colonies

NEW DELHI: On Friday Satyendar Jain the Delhi Urban Development minister had alleged that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to cut down the unauthorized colonies and render people homeless.

In a statement Jain said that, "Being the Urban Development minister of Delhi, I am under oath to get the unauthorized colonies authorized. It's my duty to provide the residents with basic facilities... It is the democratic right of the people staying in these colonies.”
 
On Thursday the Union Home Ministry had allowed a sanction to prosecute Satyendar Jain for the possession of assets which are disproportionate to his known sources of income.

He called it a vindictive move of the Modi government, Jain said that he was actually amazed by the charges that were being made against him. "I am amazed at the charges made by the Centre; they are saying Satyendar Jain will become richer by regularizing these colonies. This is laughable and beyond comprehension. How will I become richer by regularizing the unauthorized colonies? Regularization of the unauthorized colonies will not benefit Satyendar Jain but will benefit the huge number of people residing in these colonies," he said.

Jain, who is the holder of seven portfolios which include Health, Home and Public Works Department, said that the Modi government can file as many cases as it wants against him but "I won't be cowed down and I will keep working in the same manner". The people of Delhi have elected me. I will continue working for them with full integrity till my last breath and no amount of witch hunt will deter my resolve.” 

However, The incharge of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)  East Delhi Lok Sabha Atishi said that the move made by the Centre against Jain has reflected that the Modi government was completely against the regularization of unauthorized colonies. “The Prime Minister spends half the time abroad and talks about turning India into Singapore. But he doesn't want to do that by developing these unauthorized colonies. Instead, he wants to destroy them," Atishi told the media

She had further said that the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corp (DSIIDC) had already spent Rs 575 crore on 164 projects in unauthorised colonies. "Seventy projects worth Rs 303 crore are underway and 40 more projects at an estimated cost of Rs 131 crore are in tendering stage," she said.