Cramped houses, congested lanes, and overflowing sewer lines. The Mata Gujri Colony in west Delhi’s Tilak Nagar constituency stands as a picture of neglect.
Until a few weeks ago, it was officially known as the Vidhwa Colony – a reminder that it houses many survivors of the 1984 anti-Sikh violence. But that name swap seems to be the only change it has seen in recent years.
“Nothing is going to change. Be it AAP or BJP, they come during elections and disappear until the next one,” said Nirmal Kaur, who lost her father and uncle in the 1984 riots, sitting in a park in Block C. Newslaundry spoke to several residents in the Tilak Nagar constituency, who pointed to issues such as poor sanitation and lack of development as their primary concerns.
Tilak Nagar, apart from Rajouri Garden, is among the constituencies with the highest concentration of Sikh voters – around 35 percent of the electorate. The community makes up for around 5 percent of Delhi’s population but has an influential vote in several other constituencies such as Madipur, Hari Nagar, and Timarpur.
Tilak Nagar has historically swung between parties. The constituency voted for the BJP in 1993 before shifting to Congress in 1998. The BJP reclaimed it in 2003 and held onto it in 2008 before AAP dislodged them in 2013. Since then, AAP has managed to retain the seat.
But AAP MLA Jarnail Singh faces palpable anger this time. Residents say Singh is inaccessible when they need him. While they are critical of the AAP and its MLA, they are also reluctant to throw their weight behind the BJP. Voters appear divided on the BJP’s candidate, Shweta Saini, who is not from the area.
Recognising their importance, political parties are keen to win over Sikh voters with various promises. While AAP has pledged a monthly remuneration of Rs 18,000 for Sikh Granthis, the BJP has promised Rs 20,000. Additionally, the BJP has committed to an investment of Rs 100 crore in major gurudwaras to enhance accommodation and improve facilities. The BJP has also promised a Rs 5,000 pension for widows of 1984 riot victims, as well as loans and scholarships for their families. The Congress manifesto does not have specifics targeted at Sikh voters.
The BJP has fielded three Sikh candidates while the AAP and Congress have fielded four each from the community.
Distrust
Most of the residents in Mata Gujri Colony were resettled from Trilokpuri, among the areas that were most affected by the 1984 riots. While the government allotted flats to the victims, ownership rights remain elusive.
“Ownership rights and the issue of electricity bills are the main concerns here. Whichever party promises to resolve these two issues will get our vote,” said Reshma Kaur, a local resident.
Residents claim that as part of the government’s commitment to riot victims, they were exempted from paying electricity bills. But they have no official documentation to prove it. The problem was compounded in the early 2000s when BSES, the private electricity distributor, began installing meters in the locality following the privatisation of Delhi’s power sector. Since residents believed their electricity was supposed to be free, they refused to pay their bills.
“It is well known that electricity for 1984 riot victims is free. So nobody paid. As a result, people now owe lakhs of rupees in pending bills,” said Janki, a widow from C Block, who lost her husband – a railway employee – in the 1984 riots.
Jasbir Kaur, a resident of B Block, acknowledged improvements in schools but found little else to praise about AAP’s tenure. Pointing to ongoing road construction in the colony, she remarked that “this work started almost after 14 years”.
Nanki Kaur, another resident, gestured toward heaps of garbage strewn across the roads. “Look at the filth around. Do you see any work done here?” She said the real crisis in the area is unemployment. “Some youths are selling goods on the roadside, while others are doing nothing. No political party is creating jobs for them.”
Nanki has little faith in any political party. “It was Congress that put us in this situation. BJP and AAP have also done nothing significant. They work for themselves and disappear after elections,” she added.
Residents say that voters in the colony are divided between AAP and BJP. Some, like Jagish Singh, believe AAP has made significant contributions, particularly in education and healthcare. “The school in this area used to operate out of a tent. But now, Kejriwal has transformed it into a proper building. Similarly, Mohalla Clinics have helped reduce overcrowding in hospitals,” he said.
Waste of public money
Around six kilometers from Tilak Vihar in Tilak Nagar, the mood is slightly different in Rajouri Garden, which is home to a significant middle-class Sikh population. Unlike Tilak Nagar, where Sikh voters appear divided, the sentiment in Rajouri Garden appears to favour the saffron party. This time, the BJP has fielded its Sikh face, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, against AAP’s incumbent Dhanwati Chandela.
Before AAP’s emergence, Rajouri Garden was a Congress stronghold, with the party holding the seat for two decades since 1993. However, in 2013, Congress lost to Manjinder Singh Sirsa, then with the Shiromani Akali Dal. Two years later, AAP won the seat, only to lose the 2017 bypoll to Sirsa, who had by then joined the BJP.
In Block J of Rajouri Garden, Newslaundry met a group of elderly men enjoying the winter sun in the community park.
“I have been living here for 60 years. Our biggest problem is that we get dirty sewer water because the pipes are decades old and non-functional. But the government has done nothing,” said Karamsingh Kalsi, a local resident.
“People are very angry this time because no work has been done,” said Harpal Singh.
Baldeo Raj Saini, another resident, echoed similar concerns. “No work has been done in our area. I had to visit the local MLA’s office 10 times just to get one lane of our colony repaired. But it’s still not done,” he said.
Political parties are keen to win over Sikh voters with various promises. While AAP has pledged a monthly remuneration of Rs 18,000 for Sikh Granthis, the BJP has promised Rs 20,000. Additionally, the BJP has committed to an investment of Rs 100 crore in major gurudwaras to enhance accommodation and improve facilities. The BJP has also promised a Rs 5,000 pension for widows of 1984 riot victims, as well as loans and scholarships for their families.
Residents are more concerned about local issues – the AAP’s governance record in Punjab or the BJP’s handling of the farm protests did not emerge as concerns in conversations with locals. There is also resentment over what many see as the misuse of taxpayer money.
“We have been paying taxes for years, yet nothing has been done for the middle class – neither by BJP nor by AAP. Meanwhile, those who don’t pay taxes get benefits like Rs 2,500. It’s basically our money being used to buy votes,” said Manju Kamboj, a retired private-sector employee who used to work in the tourism industry.
HS Bakshi, a retired Punjab and Sind Bank official, clarified that he isn’t against financial aid for those who genuinely need it. “There is an elderly woman in our colony whose children don’t look after her. She should receive government support. But indiscriminate distribution of freebies is a waste of taxpayer money.”
“There are four main entrances to Rajouri Garden, and at each one, you’ll find heaps of garbage,” Bakshi said. Pointing to waterlogging in the community park, he said, “This is nothing but leaked sewer water. Just imagine the level of hygiene…we don’t really have a choice.”
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