Former Delhi Chief Minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi was detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday while protesting against a demolition drive at the Kalka Ji slum cluster. The protest was organized in response to bulldozer action in the area, which the AAP alleges is part of a broader campaign targeting landless communities in the national capital.
Atishi was taken into custody as she led a demonstration opposing the eviction of slum residents. The AAP leader strongly criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and current Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, accusing them of being complicit in what she termed “inhuman and unjust actions” against the poor.
In a scathing remark made while being detained, Atishi said, “This is not governance; this is cruelty. Bulldozers are being used to crush the dreams of the poor. BJP and CM Rekha Gupta must answer for this brutality.”
The protest at Kalka Ji follows similar opposition by the AAP to recent demolition actions in other vulnerable areas, including the Madras Camp in Wazirpur. The party has accused the administration of selectively targeting slum areas under the guise of development, without offering proper rehabilitation to the displaced.
As visuals of the police detaining Atishi surfaced across media platforms, AAP supporters began rallying in different parts of the city, demanding an immediate halt to demolition drives and the release of their leader.
The Delhi Police, in a brief statement, confirmed that preventive detention was carried out to maintain public order. They denied allegations of excessive force.
The political confrontation over the demolition drives is likely to escalate in the coming days, with AAP signaling more aggressive action and public mobilization.
