Kejriwal urges slum dwellers to protest against demolitions, calls BJP-Congress 'brother and sister'

New Delhi: Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday urged slum dwellers to protest against the BJP-led government’s demolition drives and called on them to reject both the BJP and Congress in future elections.

Addressing a protest organised by the AAP at Jantar Mantar against slum demolitions, Kejriwal said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said 'Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makan', but what he meant was 'Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Maidan'. His promises are false and I urge you not to fall for them in future."

The AAP national convener alleged that the Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government had "ruined" the city in the past five months.

"We had left a perfectly fine Delhi. But these people have ruined it. There are long power cuts, school fees have been hiked, and their ministers and MLAs are busy looting Delhi," he charged.

Calling on slum dwellers to unite, he said, "There are 40 lakh slum dwellers. If you take to the roads, they will be forced to stop the demolitions."

He said, "The Anna movement started from Jantar Mantar and removed the Congress from power. From here, a new movement will begin, and the BJP’s hold on power will also be shaken."

Urging people not to vote for either Congress and the BJP in future, he said the two parties are like "brother and sister".

"When Congress was in power, there were power cuts and school fees were arbitrarily hiked. For 10 years, we did not let that happen. But after the BJP came to power, the same things are happening again," he added.

Kejriwal also accused the BJP of targeting AAP leaders by lodging FIRs against them.

"They have lodged FIRs against Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Saurabh Bharadwaj. Stop this game of FIRs and work for the people," he said.

Sisodia and Jain are facing an anti-corruption branch (ACB) probe in connection with alleged irregularities in the construction of classrooms. Last week, the ACB registered an FIR against Bharadwaj and Jain for alleged corruption related to delays in hospital construction projects.