New Delhi, June 8 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday launched a blistering attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress for fooling slum dwellers for years and not providing them even basic facilities.

After inaugurating the construction work of a 24-seater Jan Seva Camp (JSC) at JJ Cluster, Nehru Camp, Haiderpur, she said the government has a responsibility to provide better services and facilities to the public, and the Delhi government is moving ahead on the path of fulfilling its responsibility.

Addressing the media, CM Gupta said that the previous governments had fooled slum dwellers, telling them not to vote for the BJP.

She pointed out that neither Kejriwal’s nor Sheila Dikshit’s government had announced any funds for slum dwellers, but her government is working on development projects costing Rs 700 crore.

On reports that AAP leaders were allegedly telling slum dwellers that the BJP-led Delhi government would remove their shanties, she said it will be razed only after providing them with houses.

However, CM Gupta made it clear that the government cannot defy court orders while mentioning that “If the court orders anything, it is in the best interest of the people.”

Talking about the Madrasi colony situated near the Barapullah nullah, she said the court has called for its removal four times, so that machines can reach there for cleaning the drain, failing which Delhi will face floods like in 2023.

On the action in the Railways’ colony, she said: “People have made homes near tracks, in case of any untoward incident, if anyone dies after coming under the tracks, who will be responsible, Atishi, Arvind Kejriwal or Saurabh Bhardwaj?”

Expressing dismay over the behaviour of a few people in shanties, she said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself gave 1,675 flats at Wazirpur slum, but if the dwellers there think that they will take the flats and continue to reside there (in shanties), it won’t work.

Condemning the previous governments over the lack of facilities in the area, CM Gupta said that there were no drains, no playgrounds for kids and no places for women to defecate and bathe.

CM Gupta said she will ensure that women in the slums have a ‘snanghars’ (bathing houses) facility.

The Chief Minister also announced that her government will construct five to six snanghars and make drains so that people here do not face inconvenience.

Delhi consists of people from across the country who have come to work here, and the government will continue to work for them, she said.

–IANS

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