Demolition drive in Chandni Chowk sparks protests, political blame game

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Manager of the Gurdwara, Balwant Singh Pandher said police, along with the MCD officials, reached the Gurdwara at around 6 am.

“We were not informed and they did not even serve us a notice. First they demolished the barriers erected near the water booth on the road, and later also demolished the water booth. We tried to stop them,” said Pandher.

The water booth is constructed on the footpath between the road and the Gurdwara.

After police dispersed crowds and the demolition was carried out, at least 50 protesters sat on the road blocking the traffic. The protesters included the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee member Inderjeet Singh Monty, who said, “There is a lot of space for people to walk beside the water booth and many people drink water from it. I don’t understand the rationale behind demolishing it”.

The court had on March 28 directed the north Delhi municipal corporation and the police to remove all illegal encroachments from the Chandni Chowk road, including the illegal religious structures.

The demolition triggered an exchange of words as the BJP attacked the AAP government over it. The government denied the charges.

The BJP claimed the Delhi government Public Works Department (PWD) conducted the demolition and not the North corporation, which is ruled by the BJP.

However, a senior North corporation official said the civic body undertook the demolition as per the directions of the SRDC.

Nitin Panigrahi, nodal officer for SRDC, confirmed the demolition was carried out by the North corporation with the support of Delhi police.

“It was a High Court order and SRDC has no part to play in this. We have to file a reply in court on religious encroachments on April 30. The court order was served to NDMC and I was also present at the venue,” said Panigrahi.

BJP national secretary R P Singh said, “This has been part of the Gurdwara for at least 15 years. How could that be an encroachment? The Sis Ganj demolition was approved by the Delhi Committee on Religious Structures. I have minutes of the meetings that took place on April 5, 2016 and AAP MLA Alka Lamba emphasised on removing the alleged encroachment.” Singh said the Delhi government could have presented a case in court rather than undertake demolition.

The minutes also say the High Court stated that land owning agency in this case — the MCD — should remove the encroachment, Singh said.

However, Lamba said she ensured that everyone was taken into confidence before the demolition. “It was not sudden. Six months ago, we had a meeting with all religious structure management agencies and told them that the court had directed to remove the said structures. They said they will remove those themselves, but they did not. Police also told me that everyone was taken into confidence. It is the BJP’s and Akali’s fight that has come out in the open,” said Lamba.