P’kula MLA locks horns with HUDA

Panchkula MLA DK Bansal on Monday claimed that the demolition drive of Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) at the Gandhi Colony in Mansa Devi Complex was akin to an attack on Harijans. Attempting to gain political mileage out of the incident, he said that he had spoken to chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and demanded that action be taken against officials who carried out the drive.

“If they (residents of the colony) are encroachers, then on what basis have they have been enrolled as voters. I consider the demolition drive as an attack on Harijans…They were beaten and dragged out of their homes,” alleged Bansal.

Interestingly, no case has yet been registered against slum dwellers resorting to stone pelting during the demolition drive which injured four policemen. Police sources claimed that no case had been registered as no complaint has been received from HUDA officials. After the chaos and ruckus on Sunday, HUDA had postponed the demolition drive for two days, as claimed by estate officer Gurmeet Singh.

While condemning the demoltion drive, Bansal said that he would fight for the displaced till his last breath. He met the Gandhi Colony slum dwellers at his residence in Sector 12-A and assured them that he would talk to chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in this regard.

He claimed that of the 1 lakh people staying in slums and unauthorised colonies, more than 50,000 were voters. When contacted on the status of the drive, estate officer Gurmeet Singh said that they were only doing their duty and the demolition drive would continue. HUDA wants to reclaim about 1-acre of the encroached land.