http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1826/18261350.htm
ON December 3, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) demolished the Periyar Centre of the Dravidar Kazhagam (D.K.), situated near Palam airport. Although authorities of the centre obtained a stay order from the High Court, they could not halt the demolition. The demolition squad, which consisted of around 50 policemen and 50 workers, apart from DDA officials, razed the five-storey building in less than six hours. Officials of the DDA said that the Periyar Centre, built on a piece of private land measuring about 36,000 square feet in Bamnauli village on the Bijwasan-Najafgarh road, was an unauthorised structure. The DDA has referred the case to its Vigilance Department to identify the officers concerned, during whose tenure the building was constructed.
The issue of the Periyar Centre building was first raised by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy in November 2000 as part of his allegation that the Congress(I) was becoming lenient to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which assassinated Congress(I) president and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Swamy cited the contribution of Rs.5 lakhs to the centre by the Congress(I) government of Delhi as evidence of this. He also wrote to Chief Minister Sheila Dixit, asking her to freeze the release of the money. He expressed apprehensions about the Periyar Centre being used as a safehouse by LTTE cadres. Swamy also alleged that the structure had come up on land originally allotted to Dalits under the 20-point Programme. Senior DDA officials admitted that the complaint had been referred to them by Lieutenant Governor Vijai Kapoor and Home Minister L.K. Advani.
That the issue has become a political one became apparent from a statement issued by All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa asking the Delhi government to restore the centre. Jayalalithaa said: “The whole matter has assumed a sinister design because of the involvement of Swamy at whose behest it is said the demolition was ordered. It is a pity that the government of Delhi acceded to the bidding of a person like Swamy.” The statement went on: “It was quite disturbing and painful to learn that the Periyar Centre was subjected to unwarranted demolition by the DDA. I feel that the demolition was carried out with undue haste and could have been totally avoided.” She said that it was distressing to note that “such shabby treatment” was meted out to the centre.
The matter will now be decided in the Delhi High Court in February. “We will be able to put our point across forcefully. We are carrying out our work from an adjoining building,” said Rajshekhar, a volunteer at the centre.
Naunidhi Kaur