Ahead of Delhi assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party and ruling Aam Aadmi Party are engaged in a war of words over the regularisation of unauthorised colonies.
While the BJP is claiming it removed the uncertainty from the lives of 40 lakh families residing in unauthorised colonies, the AAP alleges the BJP is misleading the people.
Regularisation of unauthorised colonies has emerged as a major poll plank for the BJP and the AAP ahead of the Assembly election in Delhi.
It has further led a ‘poster war’ with BJP’s posters reading: "40 lakh families residing in the unauthorised colonies got their ownership rights. Thank you Modi Ji."
In contrast, the AAP banners read the "BJP has deceived people with its claims on the issue".
Earlier on December 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that a large section of the population in Delhi had to face uncertainty regarding the ownership rights of their residences, “which was addressed by the BJP positively to get them their rightful ownership”.
"Even after several decades of independence, a large section of the population in Delhi had to face fear, uncertainty, deceit, and false electoral promises. Illegal, stealing, bulldozer and a cut-off date -- the life of a large population in Delhi was confined to these words," said Prime Minister Modi at the Ramlila ground.
On the other hand, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has accused the Centre of lying over its promise of regulation and transferring of ownership rights in the unauthorised colonies, saying that the DDA website clearly states that these colonies would not be regularised under PM-UDAY scheme.
On Twitter, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said things have been simplified on the DDA website to make AAP leaders understand the PM-UDAY scheme, which aims to give ownership rights to more than 40 lakh residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi.
Puri posted a picture of FAQs (frequently asked questions) on DDA website on which the question “if the regularisation of unauthorised colonies will be done under PM-UDAY (PM-Unauthorised colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana)” has been answered in detail.
Following the tweet, a war of words ensued between Puri and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Twitter over the issue of regularisation of unauthorised colonies.
Puri said Sisodia is unable to understand some things due to lack of experience and he is getting entangled in the web of words.
"Things have been simplified in the DDA website to convince them (AAP leaders)...," Puri said.
In another tweet, Puri took a dig at Sisodia and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
"By the way, Sisodia ji and Kejriwal ji should tell that if people of 1,731 colonies are getting ownership rights of their house then what is the problem? Perhaps that they will not be able to create any new hurdles in this matter now?" Puri tweeted.
Responding to it, Sisodia thanked Puri for giving such a long answer on the DDA website.
"I am trying to know in two words whether your Uday Yojana will regularise unauthorised colonies or not? Yes or no? Your website was earlier saying that these colonies or houses will not be regularised. You are still not answering this," he said.
"Earlier it was explained in just two lines that PM-UDAY that the scheme does not mean regularisation of unauthorised colonies. Can you explain in simple words if the scheme regularises unauthorised colonies or not? yes or no? (Or say that these hoardings of BJP are false)," he said, posting pictures of hoarding where regularisation of unauthorised colonies has been promised by the BJP.
Puri then tweeted asking what is AAP's problem with the redevelopment of these colonies.
"They should answer if they will stop lying and misleading people over the issue now or not," Puri asked.
In November, the Parliament passed a bill to grant ownership rights to residents of 1,731 unauthorised residential colonies in Delhi. The move, ahead of the assembly elections, could be a major poll plank.
(With inputs from agencies)
