Tussle between Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena and the Delhi government over the city's civic issues began on Saturday after he shared pictures highlighting cleanliness issues in the slum clusters of Tehkhand and Okhla on his social media handle.
The altercation started when Saxena posted pictures captured during his Friday visit to Golkuan in Tehkhand and Sanjay Colony in Okhla, and requested the AAP leader to take cognisance of it. Both are slum areas in southeast Delhi. In these posts, Saxena expressed concern that thousands of people were living in these areas with heaps of garbage, overflowing and smelly drains, facing the danger of getting diseases. He also alleged there was "inaction and insensitivity" of those responsible for taking corrective steps.
Further reacting to the Lt. Gov's post, the Delhi administration released a statement alleging that at least 3 lakh slum-dwellers in Delhi are now 'homeless' amid decisions and directives from Saxena. The LG office sent out a strongly-worded reply, saying, "This is a typical and blatant lie being peddled, supposedly by the Delhi government."
"Not a single Jhuggi has been removed at LG's directions. In fact, on many occasions, the last being at Majnu ka Tila, demolitions were stopped due to LG's intervention," a Raj Niwas official said.
The LG has made four visits to underdeveloped areas like unauthorised colonies and slum clusters in the city in recent days. Previously, he visited Kirari, Burari, Sangam Vihar and shared similar pictures, and issued directions for action by the concerned departments.
"Complaints of lack of public facilities are being regularly received from each part of Delhi. In this connection, visited Golkuan Tehkhand JJ Cluster and Sanjay Colony, Okhla yesterday and witnessed the ground reality. Nothing could be a bigger example of inaction and insensitivity than this," Saxena posted on X.
In another post with more pictures, he said "It is shameful that our citizens are facing such plight due to years of neglect." The LG pointed out that according to news reports, Rs 5,500 crores were spent on the development of these settlements.
He directed agencies concerned - the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (DSIIDC), and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) among others -- to immediately ensure sanitation in the settlements and provide necessary facilities there.
"It is requested to the Chief Minister to take cognizance of this serious issue," he said in another post tagging him with more photos of the areas he visited.
The AAP government charged that "Delhiites are aware that since LG Vinai Kumar Saxena took office, in the past approximately one and half years, he has demolished as many 'jhuggis' as never before in Delhi".
It accused the LG of demolition of JJ cluster near Sundari Nagari, and rendering people homeless in Tughalqabad.
It also alleged that an attempt was made to demolish the Ghosiya colony near Mehrauli but it was stayed by the High Court after the intervention of the Kejriwal government.
"In the last few days, the LG has rendered numerous people homeless. Now, before the elections, he is playing drama and shedding crocodile tears because he knows that people living in unauthorised colonies and slums will vote against the BJP because of the demolitions," the AAP government charged.
It also alleged that the LG ordered the demolition of a slum near Majnu Ka Tila where 800 Hindu refugees from Pakistan have been living since 2011, but it was prevented after Chief Minister Kejriwal intervened.
Replying to the charges, Raj Niwas officials said it was "atrocious" that the AAP government was even dragging the courts into its "murky games".
"They are charging the LG of misleading the courts, a tactic that they have perfected and the LG Secretariat has even moved courts against the perjury committed by them," the official said.
The Raj Niwas officials challenged the AAP government to take legal recourse if they thought that the LG was "misleading" the courts, questioning what was stopping it.
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