'Insensitivity towards poor, arrogance of power': Rahul Gandhi slams BJP over demolitions in Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 27 (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said hundreds of slum dwellers in Delhi are going through the pain of being rendered homeless with their houses being destroyed by the BJP government, as he claimed that this "atrocity" exposes the ruling party's "insensitivity" towards the poor and its "arrogance of power".
The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha shared a video of his recent visit to Delhi's Ashok Vihar area where houses of several people were brought down by the administration.
"Imagine, how would you feel if the roof over the head of your parents, children or siblings is suddenly taken away - if your entire family is rendered homeless in a single moment? Hundreds of poor families living in the jhuggis of Delhi are going through this pain today," Gandhi said in his post in Hindi on X along with the video.
The small houses in which they had settled their entire life were "ruthlessly destroyed" by the BJP government, he alleged.
These were not just houses - these were their dreams, their dignity and their means of living, he said.
"This atrocity being committed in the name of administration exposes the BJP's insensitivity towards the poor and its arrogance of power," Gandhi said.
"We stand firmly with these displaced families. This fight is no longer just for homes, it is for justice and humanity - and we will fight on every front," the former Congress chief said.
Last week, Gandhi had met some families in Ashok Vihar's Jailorwala Bagh and Wazirpur, whose houses were "bulldozed by the BJP government of Delhi".
In the video, Gandhi is seen interacting with the families who were rendered homeless. He assures them of taking up their cause and providing legal assistance.
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) last month had carried out an anti-encroachment drive in West Delhi's Ashok Vihar and razed over 300 illegal dwellings.
A simultaneous anti-encroachment drive was also carried out in North Delhi's Wazirpur area by Indian Railways.
The demolition was carried out amid heavy police and paramilitary deployment. A total of 308 illegal dwellings were cleared from the Jailorwala Bagh in the Ashok Vihar area, as part of DDA's efforts to remove unauthorised settlements.
According to DDA, the action targeted jhuggi structures belonging to residents who were either already allotted alternative flats or were found ineligible under the rehabilitation policy.
सोचिए, अगर आपके अपने माँ-बाप, बच्चे या भाई-बहन के सिर से अचानक छत छीन ली जाए - अगर आपके पूरे परिवार को एक ही पल में बेघर कर दिया जाए, तो आपको कैसा लगेगा?
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 27, 2025
दिल्ली की झुग्गियों में रहने वाले सैकड़ों ग़रीब परिवार आज इसी दर्द से गुजर रहे हैं। जिन छोटे-छोटे घरों में उनकी पूरी ज़िंदगी… pic.twitter.com/lftR8NxwKD
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Mamata accuses BJP of trying to 'rig' Bengal polls, alleges central forces acting at its behest
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the BJP of trying to "rig" the West Bengal assembly elections, alleging that central forces and election observers were acting at the behest of the saffron party.
The BJP, however, dismissed her allegations, accusing her of "trying to create confusion sensing public anger against the TMC".
Visiting several polling booths in her Bhabanipur assembly constituency where voting is underway, Banerjee alleged that democratic norms have been severely compromised by the authorities this assembly election.
The Bhabanipur assembly segment is Banerjee's political bastion, where she is locked in a prestige battle against Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, in what is being seen as a symbolic rematch of Nandigram, where he had defeated her in the 2021 assembly polls.
ALSO READ: 4 held for sexually assaulting woman, girl on moving bus after social media alert in UP's Agra
"BJP wants to rig this election," she told reporters.
Stating that elections are held in West Bengal in a peaceful manner, Banerjee asked, "Is there goonda raj here?"
West Bengal has had a tradition of poll-related violence with the Calcutta High Court having ordered CBI investigations into post-poll violence after the 2021 assembly elections.
Alleging that TMC workers and leaders were facing atrocities at the hands of police and CAPF personnel, Banerjee said her party cadres "were ready to die".
The TMC supremo, who usually steps out of her Kalighat residence in the afternoon on polling day to cast her vote at Mitra Institution School, went out before 8 am and visited several polling stations in the constituency, including those in the Chetla area of south Kolkata.
She later sat outside a polling station at Chakraberia in Bhabanipur and spoke to reporters, alleging irregularities and accusing the BJP of trying to influence the polling process through central forces and observers.
"Several observers have come from outside and are acting as per the BJP's directions. People are supposed to cast their votes -- can voting take place like this?" Banerjee said.
She also alleged that all TMC party flags had been removed beforehand and claimed that outsiders were interfering with the polling process.
"They are not allowing the councillor of ward number 70 to step out. They are picking up all our boys. Abhishek and I stayed awake the entire night," she said.
Banerjee further claimed that some people from outside the state were trying to create disturbances in the constituency and sought immediate intervention from the Election Commission.
The BJP, however, dismissed her allegations, claiming that the ruling party was trying to create confusion after sensing public anger against it.
Adhikari said the CM will lose the election.
The LoP offered prayers at two temples in the constituency's Khidirpur area.
Adhikari said people are coming out in large numbers to vote, with the Election Commission making proper arrangements for ensuring free and fair election.
"Does not matter, she will lose," Adhikari told reporters about the TMC chief venturing out on polling day early in the morning in a departure from her practice of going out only in the afternoon to cast her vote.
The party's de facto second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee, on the other hand, asserted that the TMC will win with a higher number of seats than in 2021.
The Diamond Harbour MP, after casting his vote at Mitra Institution, accused the poll observers of highhandedness in different places.
"But these things will not matter, we will win by a higher number of seats this election," he told reporters.
Voting is underway in 142 constituencies in the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections amid unprecedented security arrangements.
Polling began at 7 am with voters lining up outside booths across Kolkata, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Hooghly and Purba Bardhaman -- districts that together form the political and electoral core of the state.
The outcome of this phase is expected to be crucial as it covers south Bengal, considered the TMC's traditional stronghold, where the BJP is seeking major inroads.
Polling will continue till 6 pm.
The first phase of the assembly elections on April 23 had recorded a turnout of 93.19 per cent -- the highest ever in the state.
Counting of votes will take place on May 4.
