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Till late Tuesday evening, the House debated the passing of an all-party resolution seeking the end of the drive and regularising "construction and shops running in residential areas".
Congress MLA Mukesh Sharma, NCP leader Ram Vir Singh Bhiduri, and BJP MLA Harsharan Singh Balli sponsored this resolution.
The resolution is as follows: "That this House resolves that all construction and shops etc. running in the residential areas of Delhi may be regularised in the public interest and to stop demolition in these areas with immediate effect."
While the resolution reflects the sense of seige felt by all political leaders at the court-ordered demolition drive, which continued for the fourth day, all agreed that the move would have little effect in halting the drive.
"The drive is being conducted by the MCD on orders from the High Court. The Delhi government has no control over the land of the city. All they can do is hope that the Union urban development ministry will step in and do something," said an MLA.
Congress MLA Mukesh Sharma accused the BJP of starting the entire allegation of one of their former office bearers, O P Sabharwal, initiating the public interest litigations on this issue. BJP leader Jagdish Mukhi accused the judicial process as being prejudiced.
Members of Parliament from Delhi met Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy, who promised to look into the matter of regularising small shops in residential areas. "We have requested the minister to suggest an interim measure for relief from the demolitions," said an MP from Delhi.
The Delhi high court had ordered that over 18,000 illegal structures in the city covering all 12 zones of the MCD be demolished within four weeks. The court had clubbed together several PILs filed by various resident groups while giving this order. There has been widespread reaction to the drive with over 150 structures already demolished in the present drive.
