Taking a jibe at the BJP and the AAP over felling of trees in the national capital for a redevelopment project, Congress President Rahul Gandhi today said even children know the importance of trees in life. He urged people to stand by the Congress against it.

Launching a scathing attack on the two parties on Twitter, Gandhi said, "In Delhi, the BJP with AAP's approval has hacked down thousands of trees in the past 4 years for development”.

“Even children know that trees are critical to our survival and difficult to replace. Stand with the Congress and together let's fight this madness,” he added.

In Delhi, the BJP with AAP’s approval has hacked down thousands of trees in the past 4 yrs for “development”.

Even children know that trees are critical to our survival & difficult to replace.

Stand with the Congress & together let’s fight this madness. #BJPAAPChokeDelhi

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 28, 2018

The city government had announced that it would be cutting over 14,000 trees for building over 25,000 flats for government employees in seven colonies of south Delhi. A major protest broke out against the decision, with locals and activists launching their own "Chipko Movement" and the project became embroiled in a political blame game.

Re-development of seven colonies in South Delhi have been proposed and NBCC and CPWD will be developing 25,667 government flats which will have 70,000 underground car parking. 

The re-development would require chopping over 14,000 trees. The decision led to a massive protest following which NBCC and CPWD agreed in the high court to halt the felling of trees till July 4. 

The government-owned real estate development body NBCC is redeveloping Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Nauroji Nagar, while the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) is managing the rest four colonies in Kasturba Nagar, Thyagraj Nagar, Srinivaspuri and Mohammadpur.