The officials of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Thursday, reached the south Delhi ward of Madanpur Khadar to execute the anti-encroachment drive as part of its 10-day action plan to remove illegal encroachment from several areas in all four zones in the national capital. AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, who was booked for obstructing the demolition drive in Shaheen Bagh earlier this week, also reached the area with his aides and raised slogans against the MCD officials.
#WATCH | People raise slogans ahead of the anti-encroachment drive in Madanpur Khadar Ward in Delhi. The demolition drive was announced by the civic body pic.twitter.com/b21YfXRSEp
— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2022
Speaking to the media, Amanatullah Khan said, “I am ready to go to jail if it saves the houses of poor people. There is no encroachment here. I will support them (civic body) in demolition if there is any encroachment.”
However, as per the latest reports, despite the resistance from the AAP supporters, the authorities have already demolished two five-storey under-construction buildings in the Madanpur Khadar area amidst the presence of police personnel. “The building was being constructed for the past one year,” a local said.
Besides Madanpur Khadar, civic authorities have also carried out another planned anti-encroachment drive in the Prem Nagar area of Delhi’s Patel Nagar today.
It is pertinent to note here that the AAP MLA had created a similar ruckus during the anti-encroachment drive that was carried out in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh area the other day. On May 9, a massive drama unfolded when the MDC officials reached Shaheen Bagh to take action against the illegally constructed infrastructures in the area. Hundreds of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporters led by Amanatullah Khan and Congress workers staged protests in the area to obstruct the civic body’s ongoing anti-encroachment drive.
Protesters raised slogans against the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and the Central government, demanding that the action be halted. Some of the female protesters even stood in front of the bulldozers to prevent the exercise from taking place. Visuals from the site showed how political party workers began climbing onto the claws of the bulldozer to prevent the civic body from carrying out its duties.
#WATCH | Delhi: AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan join the protest at Shaheen Bagh amid the anti-encroachment drive here. pic.twitter.com/4MJVGoku39
— ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2022
Following the ruckus, the SDMC’s Central Zone licensing inspector filed a complaint against the AAP MLA and his aides with the SHO of Shaheen Bagh. In the complaint, the licensing inspector wrote, “Amanatullah Khan MLA (Okhla) along with his supporters present did not allow the field staff of the zone SDMC to remove the encroachment. In view of the above, you are requested to take appropriate legal action against Amanatullah Khan and his supporters for interfering in the discharge of official duties by public servants.”
Based on the complaint an FIR was filed against the AAP MLA. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Esha Pandey said, “Based on the complaint received from SDMC, an FIR has been registered against Aamanatullah Khan and his supporters under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.”
The Communist Party of India (CPI-M) Marxist had earlier filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the decision by the civic body to remove illegal settlements in Okhla, Shaheen Bagh in South Delhi.
However, in a huge blow to groups opposing the demolition effort in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, the Supreme Court refused to hear the petition. A court led by Justice N Nageshwar Rao slammed the Communist Party for politicising the case and advised it to go to the High Court instead.
