Protest against DDA demolition in Mehrauli enters its third day

The demolition drive by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has continued for the third consecutive day in Delhi’s Mehrauli area on Sunday. The protestors could be seen shouting slogans against the government and the DDA; some of them were seen screaming as well.

As per the report, several agitators threw red chilli powder on the Delhi police personnel deployed at the protest site.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police said that action will be taken against the culprits who threw red chilli powder on the cops. Police have not conducted lathi charges, so no one has been injured.

DDA officials said in an official statement on Saturday that the demolition drive is being taken with the intention to clear the unauthorised encroachments on the government’s land. Illegally built houses are dangerous for the monuments of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Meanwhile, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday urged the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to stop its ongoing demolition drive in Mehrauli and demanded a fresh demarcation exercise in the area, officials said.

Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot said that residents of the Mehrauli area can’t be displaced until a fresh demarcation exercise is conducted in the area, the officials said.

However, DDA officials are adamant that the demolition drive be continued, which started in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park area on Friday amid protests from local residents.

The DDA launched the demolition drive in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park area on Friday, triggering protests from locals. The officials further added that the demolition drive will continue till March 9.

Gahlot stated in his statement that the DDA has used the revenue department’s demarcation as the primary tool in its demolition campaign. But the Delhi government made changes to the demarcation after finding several shortfalls in it.

The locals had no knowledge regarding demarcation, and the demolition process started without serving any notices to them, the minister said.

The DDA has taken this action before the G20 summit, which is expected to be held at the archaeological park in south Delhi.