Video Shows Delhi BJP Chief Manoj Tiwari Breaking Lock of Sealed House, Stirs Controversy

New Delhi: A controversy erupted on Sunday after a video purportedly showing Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari breaking lock of a sealed house surfaced.

The AAP and the Congress, while reacting sharply to the video, linked it with the ongoing sealing drive by the BJP-ruled municipal corporations in the city.

Aam Aadmi Party convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged that after demonetisation and the GST, the sealing now by the BJP has "destroyed" Delhi.

"They conduct sealing in the morning and break the lock in the evening. Do they feel people are fools," Kejriwal tweeted.

Tiwari told PTI that he was on a visit to Gokalpur where he was informed by locals that only one house among the 1,000 was sealed by the municipal corporation.

"I broke the seal against pick and choose policy by the corporation. The locals claimed all the houses were illegally constructed but a particular house was singled out for action by the corporation," he said.

Tiwari said he "wanted to appeal" to the Supreme Court and its monitoring committee to ensure that no such "pick and choose" action was taken in the name of the sealing drive.

"I will not even spare municipal corporations, even though the BJP rules them, in such matters," he asserted.

He also attacked the Congress and the AAP, saying the problem of sealing was a result of their "failure" to address the issue of unauthorised colonies in the national capital.

"The Congress ruled Delhi for 15 years and the AAP is at the helm of affairs for the last 3.5 years. They never made any sincere efforts to address the issue of unauthorised colonies in Delhi," Tiwari charged.

The Delhi Congress, which is running 'Nyay Yudh' campaign' against "illegal" sealing of household industries in the city, demanded resignation of BJP MPs in Delhi, including Tiwari, for "failing" to protect the people hit by the sealing drive.

Tiwari created "drama" by breaking the lock of the house sealed by the municipal corporation in Gokalpur , alleged 'Nyay Yudh' campaign convener and former Congress MLA Mukesh Sharma.

"If BJP is serious on the issue, all its MPs in Delhi, including Tiwari, should ask for an ordinance against sealing from its government or step down," he said.

Sharma said the Congress will intensify its campaign against sealing in the coming days.