NEW DELHI: With the Supreme Court directing the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to resume sealing, Delhi BJP president Harsh Vardhan on Friday demanded that Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy, his deputy Ajay Maken and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit apologise to the public for misleading the people of the city over the issue of sealing.

Calling for resignation of all the three Congress leaders, Dr. Vardhan said the resumption of demolitions meant the people had been taken for a ride by them. But he warned that people would retaliate hard through their votes when the MCD goes to the polls on April 5.

Dr. Vardhan said it was ironical for sealing to resume when all the three leaders had assured the people of Delhi that no more sealing and demolitions would take place in Delhi. "Mr. Reddy and Mr. Maken had declared in Parliament that the people of Delhi have got relief from sealing and demolition. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had also congratulated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for providing relief to the people from sealing and demolition through the new Master Plan,'' the BJP leader said, adding that the words have now proven to be hollow.

Stating that hundreds of people had lost their livelihood due to demolitions in INA Market, Sanjay Basti and Timarpur on the orders of the Supreme Court-appointed Monitoring Committee, Dr. Vardhan said bulldozers were also active in the unauthorised colonies of Outer Delhi. "Several hundred houses have been demolished in these areas,'' he said.

On the other hand, the BJP leader added, Mr. Maken had in reply to an un-starred question informed the Lok Sabha that the Government had not fixed any time limit for regularisation of 1,500 unauthorised colonies and the Chief Minister had stated that the decision on recovery of development fee and penalty for the regularisation of these unauthorised colonies would be taken after the elections.

Accusing Congress of doublespeak, he said the Government had not framed any by-laws for the unauthorised coloniesas yet and the sword of sealing, demolition and unemployment continued to hang on the heads of the people.

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