AAP govt spreading lies and confusion: Manoj Tiwari

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari launched a sharp attack on the Arvind Kejriwal government on Thursday, accusing it of "spreading lies and confusion" after "failing in its attempt to subvert" the Centre's endeavor of giving ownership rights to people living in unauthorized colonies.

The North East Delhi MP, who is also the BJP's Delhi unit president, alleged that the AAP government has embarked on "spreading fake news to deceive people and media" over the issue.

Tiwari targeted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) dispensation in his speech during a debate in the Lok Sabha on the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019.

The bill is being seen by the BJP as its key plank for the Delhi Assembly elections, due early next year.

Tiwari hailed the Narendra Modi government for the move to confer ownership rights to residents of unauthorized colonies in Delhi, which Union Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri claimed will be a boon for around 40 to 50 lakh people.

For generations, people lived in a state of uncertainty as they could not mortgage their properties and proper development never took place, the BJP MP said, adding a passage of the bill will kick-start redevelopment of the colonies and bring in civic amenities.

After getting parliament's nod, the new law will ensure that MPs and MLAs of the national capital can spend their development funds in these colonies.

Tiwari, who is seen as the BJP's key face for the Delhi Assembly polls, countered allegations that the bill was an election measure, saying political parties used to fight elections with promises but his party will go in with a major achievement.

Many generations will thank the Modi government for this, he said.

The Delhi BJP chief said the AAP government wrote two letters to the Centre -- in 2017 and 2019 -- seeking two years more time, which forced the latter to take the matter in its own hands.

The AAP government never wanted the Centre to succeed in its attempt to give ownership rights to the poor people living in these colonies, Tiwari alleged.

He also said that the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress government had a five-year budget of Rs 79 crore in its last term while the Kejriwal dispensation has spent over Rs 311 crore in its first four years and will end up spending over Rs 400 crore in its entire term.

This is for spreading fake news, and deceiving people and media, Tiwari alleged.