Demolition row: Arvind Kejriwal calls Rahul Gandhi a kid, mocks Congress leader's ignorance about railways

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took a jibe at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, calling him 'a kid' for questioning the Aam Aadmi Party's ( AAP) protests over a demolition of a slum in Delhi by railway authorities.

"Rahul Gandhi is a kid. I think his party has not told him that railway comes under the government of India," Kejriwal said in a tweet, reacting to Rahul's 'ignorance' over the demolition drive in Delhi's Shakur Basti area, which led to the death of a child.

????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ??? ??, ?????? ????? ?? ?????

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 14, 2015

The Congress leader had questioned AAP's protest over issue in Parliament. "Why is AAP doing dharna in Parliament. It's under their government that demolition happened," he had asked.

The AAP government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the demolition drive and death of the six-month girl though railways has said that the incident had "nothing to do with removal of encroachments".

Kejriwal said he has sought a meeting with Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu over the issue.

"Sought an appointment with Railway Minister, Sh Suresh Prabhu ji," Kejriwal wrote on Twitter.

Prabhu denied the death claim in Delhi demolition and said the child had died before the demolition drive. "Despite repeated notices, the encroachers did not vacate the place," the rail minister told reporters.

Police had said prima facie the baby died due to suffocation after a heap of clothes fell on it when the parents were preparing to move out of the jhuggi and hence no case was registered.

Kejriwal met railway officials at his residence over the issue, but was unhappy with their response.

"Railway officials failed to give satisfactory response as to why demolition drive was carried out when asked whether it was an emergency project," sources said.

They also said that when CM asked them about why proper rehabilitation measures were not taken before demolition, Railway officials said that they will inform their board and ministry about it.

(With inputs from PTI)