'MoHUA statement on Anaj Mandi Fire contains factual inaccuracies, motivating allegations'

The Office of the Delhi's Urban Development Minister, Satyendar Jain on Monday rebutted the statement from Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MoHUA) regarding the Anaj Mandi fire, saying that statement contains "factual inaccuracies and motivating allegations."

"Apart from other factual inaccuracies and motivated allegations in that statement, some references have been to the Delhi Urban Development Minister's office with regards to the Master Plan for Delhi 2021 (MPD 2021) with special reference to the Redevelopment Plan for Special Area," the office said.

"The Minister's office has checked all records and states with full responsibility that the union ministry's claim is false and misleading. The elected government of Delhi has been kept out of the entire process of Master Plans by the DDA and other wings of the central government, citing that it has no say in the matter since Land is a Reserved Subject under the Constitution, meaning it is under the exclusive domain of the Central government like Police and Public Order," it added.

The statement claimed that "the particular file which has been referred to by the Union Ministry was in the office of the Delhi Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain for less than 24 hours."

Stressing that it is sad that the union ministry in a desperate bid to get some "publicity has unsuccessfully tried to shift the onus on the Urban Development Minister of Delhi," the statement said the minister had no role or say in it.

"In this case, all dates mentioned by the MoHUA are wrong and it should come out clean in the entire matter and should tell why did it choose to mislead the people of Delhi. A tragic incident has been sought to be exploited for political reasons and it is unbecoming of a union ministry to become a part of this dangerous game," it added.

As many as 43 people died and 16 others sustained injuries after a fire broke out in the factory at Anaj Mandi on Rani Jhansi Road in the wee hours on Sunday. The Delhi Police have arrested Rehan, the owner of the building, in which the fire broke out.