Delhi govt, L-G blame each other for Rani Khera drownings citing land oversight

New Delhi: The ruling AAP and LG office engaged in a war of words on Saturday over the death of two teenage boys in a rainwater-filled pit on a land under possession of Delhi government agency DSIIDC in Rani Khera.

The AAP in a statement took potshots at L-G VK Saxena over a notification issued by him regarding an industrial park in Baprola, saying that he must share responsibility, if he seeks to take credit.

The ruling party said Saxena should take the blame for the Rani Khera deaths, as he was directly dealing with the DSIIDC's land matters for the past two years.

Raj Niwas officials said the Delhi State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) was directly under the control of the industry minister of the elected (AAP) government.

The LG bypassed the elected govt on the agency's land-related files, AAP charged in its statement, and added, "For the last two years, LG has been directly dealing with the DSIIDC land-related matters bypassing the ministers and elected government."

"The responsibility should be with the one who enjoys powers," it added.

The party said that the LG issued a press statement on Friday on the DSIIDC's Baprola industrial park project. "When LG is ready to claim all credit related to land works of DSIIDC, why is he running away from the responsibility? The LG is answerable for deaths at Rani Khera." Raj Niwas, in its turn, accused the AAP of having a "disastrous" run at the helm of the Delhi government in its 10 years of rule.

"AAP should introspect as to where they have brought the national capital during the 10 years of their disastrous rule. They should hold their leaders responsible and seek their resignation," the LG office said.

It said that the plots were handed over by DDA to DSIIDC and the agency had even fenced it.

"They (AAP govt) have been issuing advertisements and claiming non-existent miracles of industrialisation," it said, attacking the Aam Aadmi Party.

The land in Rani Khera was approved by the Centre for the development of a non-polluting industrial area in 2013.

"All that the AAP Government has done during the last 10 years is fence the area and create craters there for hapless Delhiites to die," an official from the LG office said.

An FIR against unknown persons under the charge of death due to negligence in connection has been filed in the deaths.