Jahangirpuri's C-Block heavily barricaded; residents stay indoors, media entry restricted

Police detain Indian Youth Congress members who were protesting against the demolition drive in Jahangirpuri. Pic/PTI

A day after the demolition drive, Jahangirpuri's C-Block, the epicentre of last week's violence, was put under heavy security cover on Thursday, with several companies of police in riot gear making the area out of bounds for the media, and residents mostly staying indoors.

The residents were asked by police personnel not to roam around without any reason. The atmosphere was tense in the area as even the usually bustling Kushal Chowk was calm and shops were shut.

Inward and outward movement at C-Block was regulated by the security personnel who have put in place heavy barricading. Children going for an exam or kids in uniform were allowed to move in and out of the area. More CCTV cameras have also been installed for strict surveillance.

On Thursday, political leaders made a beeline for the violence-hit area. A delegation of Congress leaders, including former Union minister Ajay Maken and AICC in-charge of the state unit Shaktisinh Gohil, was stopped by security personnel from going to C Block.

Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta lashed out at the AAP, saying the other name of Aam Aadmi Party is "danga party" (riot party). There was no immediate reaction from the Aam Aadmi Party to these allegations.

The AAP had on Wednesday alleged that the BJP leaders and officials of the saffron-ruled civic bodies in Delhi got Rohingyas and Bangladeshis "illegally" settled in the national capital over the last 15 years.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court extended its order directing maintenance of the status quo on the razing of buildings in the violence-hit area and said it would take a "serious view" of the demolition that was carried out even after its order was communicated to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) mayor.

Gupta said that that he wrote to east and south Delhi mayors also to conduct similar drives in their areas to bulldoze "illegal encroachments by Rohingyas and Bangladeshis".

The demolition drive by the NDMC was launched in Jahangirpuri Wednesday following Gupta's letter that came after violence erupted in the area during a Hanuman Jayanti procession.

The drive, however, was halted after one-and-a-half hour following a Supreme Court order to maintain status quo.

The police also carried out surveillance using drones in Jahangirpuri.

"The media has been barred to enter C-Block residential area because we have been ordered to do so. We are doing this to maintain law and order situation here," a senior police officer deployed in Jahangirpuri told PTI.

Residential areas near the C-Block mosque from where the violence erupted on Saturday have also been barricaded from all ends.

Locals said roads leading to the mosque has been blocked by the security personnel with heavy barricading so no one including the media has any accesses to the area.

Residents' movement on both sides of the barricades -- residents on one side and media personnel on the other side of it -- has been completely regulated by the police.

After the Congress delegation was stopped from going to the violence-hit area, Maken told reporters that the demolition drive was an attack on the poor people and their means of livelihood.

Citing court judgements, he said the drive was conducted by violating rules.

"This demolition is illegal. I was an urban development minister too, and I know how laws work. They cannot do this without any prior notice. BJP leaders are lying," Maken said.

In his attack on the AAP, Gupta alleged that it has become "a party of rioters" and the whole country is watching.

"The AAP has not replied to a court case regarding 5 lakh illegal Rohingyas and Bangladeshi. They do not have concerns for the people and the country but their only worry is votes.

"Sometimes back, the Uttar Pradesh government had removed encroachments of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis, but Kejriwal came forward and paid them Rs 10,000 each and settled them back by providing them free water, power and ration," Gupta said.

Meanwhile, around 150 members from various students' organisations staged a protest at Jamia Millia Islamia here on Thursday demanding compensation for those who were left homeless following the anti-encroachment drive.

The CPI (M) alleged that the recent incidents of violence across the country are "not sporadic communal riots" but ¿planned attacks¿ by right-wing outfits using the Hindu new year and Ram Navami processions to target the Muslim community.

In an edit in the latest edition of People's Democracy, the CPI (M) mouthpiece, the party has referred to the violence between two religious communities across the country and said that this is a way to take the anti-Muslim campaign to a "new level".

A five-member Samajwadi Party delegation will visit Delhi Friday to "investigate" the NDMC's demolition drive in violence-hit Jahangirpuri, the party said.
It said the delegation comprising sitting and former members of parliament has been formed on the instruction of party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

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