Accusing the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) of bypassing the Delhi Government in conducting a sealing and “barbaric repression” on traders in Mayapuri on Saturday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has demanded a judicial enquiry into this matter.

Senior AAP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that the Delhi Government Ministers were not involved in this decision. They were bypassed by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. “The BJP has adopted an enemy like approach towards traders. It is extremely shocking that instead of standing in solidarity with the trader’s of Mayapuri, the BJP first ordered its Delhi Police to beat up poor traders brandishing sticks at them. Also, Paramilitary forces were called to further terrorise them by throwing brick and stones on them. Is this the way to deal with traders, he asked?

“Delhi police is yours, SDM is yours, NGT is yours, DDA is yours and we are blamed. They should have some shame and take accountability for their actions,” he said.

Sisodia lashed out at Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri for blaming the Aam Aadmi Party government for the violence in west Delhi, saying the responsibility of land allocation was with the Centre.

Sisodia said that Puri has himself conceded that these industries were to be relocated. “At least he admitted that these industries were to be relocated. So, who is responsible to allot land for relocation of

these industries?  If he (Puri) referred to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order of 2015, then who will provide land? Which is the land owning agency? Is it the Central Government or the Delhi Government which provide land?,” he asked.

“NGT had made Deputy Commissioner of North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NMC) as nodal officer for the Mayapuri issue. Who appointed him? Who appointed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate? Who will take action against the officers who went for this action without informing the elected Delhi Government?” he said.

Citing details of minutes of the meeting dated December 12, 2018, he said according to it, the Delhi Development Authority informed that the current master plan does not have any provision for a scrap market in the NCT of Delhi and the existing scrap market may be allowed to continue at its current location.

“DDA said no land will be provided and Puri is saying the market will be relocated. Do they even know what they

are saying,” he asked, adding that after DDA conveniently said no to land for relocation of scrap market, was the union urban development ministry sleeping since the 2015 NGT order?

Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussein said he was not consulted before taking action. “I am going to write to the Lieutenant Governor demanding explanation for his actions,” Hussein said. “Officials (involved in the sealing drive) must be suspended. DPCC employees were involved too. I am the environment minister... No approval was taken from me. Strict action would be taken against all officials involved,” Hussein added.

The sealing operation was conducted days after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had slammed the Delhi government for not taking action against illegal scrap industries in Mayapuri that were causing pollution. Around 14 officials were injured after clashes broke out between the security personnel and scrap dealers during the sealing drive on Saturday. The drive was started by the Delhi Cantonment sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).

Around 14 officials, including an ACP, were injured after clashes broke out between security personnel and local scrap dealers during the drive in west Delhi’s Mayapuri area Saturday, leading to a political slugfest between the ruling AAP and the BJP.