Bulldozers roll into Delhi's Shaheen Bagh, but demolitions halted

New Delhi: The national capital was on the brink of seeing another demolition drive in its limits on Monday morning after a similar exercise in north Delhi's Jahangirpuri days before.

This time bulldozers had rolled into south Delhi's Shaheen Bagh which had earlier seen massive protest against citizenship law.

But as soon as people including occupants gathered at the site to block the demolitions, the traders and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan intervened and assured that illegal structures would be removed.

When the drive started amid heavy police presence, residents gathered to protest and Congress workers sat in front of bulldozers.

Soon, AAP's Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan said he had got all illegal structures removed already and none were left. "There are no illegal structures here. They have brought the bulldozer and put it here to show that I am obstructing their work to remove encroachment," NDTV quoted Khan as saying.

BJP-controlled civic body for the area had scheduled the demolition on Friday but cancelled over inadequate security forces.

Police today provided forces at the site for authorities to carry out the anti-encroachment drive.

Local residents came out protesting alongside supporters of the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Rajpal, chairman of the standing committee of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), said the municipality would do its work as officials were ready with teams and bulldozers, according to news agency ANI.

South Delhi mayor Mukesh Suryan said police force was necessary for maintaining law and order and claimed that people in Delhi supported the drive.

Reports say a ten-day plan is in place by the South Delhi civic body will remove encroachment from its areas, as the first phase will continue till May 13.

BJP state Chief Adesh Gupta sought in writing to the civic body last month removal of encroachment by "Rohingyas, Bangladeshis and anti-social elements".

The demolition drive came under the shadow of a similar exercise in north Delhi's Jahangirpuri, days after a communal clash broke out in the area during a Hanuman Jayanti procession, NDTV reported.

On April 20, people begged authorities to stop as bulldozers razed homes and shops at Jahangirpuri.

The exercise was underway even after a Supreme Court's stay order and the court had to intervene again. Also, hearing on the matter is scheduled for today.

In the case of Shaheen Bagh, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a plea by the CPM to stop the demolitions. The court took strong objection to a 'political party approaching the Supreme Court' and said that the court saw livelihoods as important and would have intervened if any aggrieved party had come.

The bench asked the petitioner to approach the High Court and pulled up the party for approaching directly to SC without going to the High Court.

The judges also remarked that everyone couldn't be allowed to approach the Supreme Court if their house was being demolished, even it it's illegal.