Atishi Criticizes BJP Leaders’ Visits to Slum Areas

New Delhi: Ahead of the assembly elections, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi has raised questions about BJP leaders visiting slum areas in the city. During a press conference on Monday at the party office, Atishi accused BJP leaders of merely staging these visits to show concern for slum dwellers.

Atishi stated, “BJP leaders are visiting various slum areas in Delhi, sitting and talking with residents, taking pictures, and pretending to care for the issues of those living in slums. They want to portray themselves as concerned and hardworking for slum dwellers, but I urge my brothers and sisters living in these slums not to fall for their theatrics.”

She further appealed to the residents, saying, “If they distribute salwar suits, shawls, or anything else, take them. But don’t vote for them. Don’t give them your vote because you cannot sustain five years on a shawl, salwar suit, or ₹500. What sustains you for five years is the work of Arvind Kejriwal.”

Atishi went on to criticize the BJP’s actions, calling their current outreach a “drama” and accusing them of betraying slum residents. She claimed, “Wherever BJP leaders go—be it under the guise of ‘Samman Yatra’ or ‘Ratri Pravas’—they return months later to demolish those very slums. There are hundreds of such instances across Delhi.”

Citing an example, Atishi said, “In Sundar Nagri, BJP leaders held an overnight stay in slums, shared meals with the residents, and played games like Ludo and Carrom with the children. They took pictures and shared them on social media. But three months later, in the dead of winter, with special permission from the court, those slums in Sundar Nagri were demolished. Children were preparing for exams, families were left without shelter in the harsh cold, yet the BJP-led central government didn’t hesitate to destroy those homes.”

Atishi also accused BJP leaders of collecting personal information during these visits to target voters. She alleged, “When BJP members visit these slums, they compile lists of residents, collecting their names and contact numbers, which are later used to remove their names from voter rolls. This was evident in Ambedkar Basti in Shahdara, where several residents came to our party office to report that their votes had been removed. These people, who had been living there for years, said BJP members took their names and numbers, only to later have their names struck off voter lists, stealing their democratic rights.”

Atishi called on slum residents to be cautious of BJP’s actions, emphasizing that their promises and outreach are merely superficial and deceptive.