BJP MLA Anil Sharma on Wednesday rejected the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) allegation that he was shielding illegal paying guest (PG) accommodations in Satya Niketan, saying the party’s leaders were “unaware of the facts” and threatening to file a defamation case against them.
Sharma, who represents the RK Puram constituency, said his sympathies were with the families of the five children and two workers who died in the Satya Niketan building collapse. He said the structure at the centre of the controversy was not a five-storey building, as alleged by AAP leaders, but had a ground floor, three upper floors and a stilt parking area.
“They seem unaware of the facts: that building consists of a ground floor plus three upper floors, along with a stilt
parking area. Either they must apologise, or I will file a defamation suit against them,” Sharma said.
Sharma cites property records
The BJP MLA said the land in question was ancestral property and had not been purchased by him. He also showed documents, including the registry and sale deed, while asserting that the land belonged to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
Sharma said the complaint cited by AAP dated back to 2011, when the Congress was in power in Delhi and at the Centre. He also said the house referred to by AAP leaders was constructed in 2022 according to an approved plan.
He said the construction took place when Arvind Kejriwal was Delhi Chief Minister, Pramila Tokas was the local MLA and Shelly Oberoi was Mayor.
AAP seeks probe into properties
AAP leaders Sanjeev Jha, Kuldeep Kumar and Anurag Dhanda alleged that Sharma was protecting illegal PGs in Satya Niketan and demanded an investigation into his properties.
Jha questioned how Sharma’s property could extend beyond the 307 square yards allegedly allotted to his father in 1986 land records. He asked the government to establish whether the additional land was legally registered or encroached upon.
AAP leaders also demanded that any action against unauthorised PGs should include Sharma’s property. Dhanda alleged that Sharma was running a “PG racket” and claimed the demolition drive could reduce competition and push up bed rates at his properties.
Khurana hits back at AAP
BJP MLA Harish Khurana also accused AAP of trying to create a political narrative around the issue.
“We did not wish to engage in a blame game,” Khurana said, adding that the BJP MLAs had been in the picture for only about a year, while AAP had governed Delhi for around a decade and controlled the MCD for two-and-a-half years.
He also questioned why AAP had not introduced a PG policy during its tenure, noting that the policy dates back to 1993.
“It would have been far better had we engaged in constructive and suggestive politics. Why wasn’t a PG policy introduced during those 10 years? The policy dates back to 1993; you were in power for a decade. What did you do?” Khurana said.
(With inputs from agencies)
