On April 29, a slum settlement in Banda in Uttar Pradesh consisting of several households was demolished in the dead of the night. The residents claim that it was because Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s official convoy was supposed to pass through that road the next day, and the police didn’t want him to see the slums.
Devanik Saha accompanies Kavita Devi, a journalist from Khabar Lahariya, a local paper, to track the story.
Ever since Independence, VVIP culture has always been prevalent. Ambulances carrying heart patients are stopped. Commuters made to wait for hours. Children getting late for school.
But what happened in Banda, Uttar Pradesh, on the night of April 29 has shocked everyone.
A slum settlement consisting of several households was demolished midnight, the apparent reason being Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s official convoy was supposed to pass through that road next day and the police didn’t want him to see the slums.
Recalls Urmila, 55, who had been living in the now-demolished slum since the last 40 years.
“Around midnight, the police came and bulldozed our houses and shops. There was no prior warning. We barely made it out with our children before the bulldozer brought our house down,” she says.
“I have lived my entire life here. I started living here when this area was unoccupied. I used to earn Rs 15 a day for daily labour, which has now gone up to Rs 400 a day. I married off both my daughters from here. But this is the first time we have been asked to move,” she says.
The scorching heat has further worsened her plight. “Now that my house is broken and there is no cover, I will have to sleep in the open. And this heat does not help at all,” she adds.
“I even have a registered electricity connection,” she tells, pointing to the installed electricity meter.
“We will die but we won’t leave our homes,” she says.
Vichitra Veer, another resident, says, “I have been living here since the last 25 years. But our houses were demolished even though we have proper identification documents,” and shows some documents.
Ironically, the house is located right opposite the district hospital and the DIG’s residence.
“The district magistrate had asked the residents to clear out the area outside the kachcha (mud) houses. But they never mentioned anything about our homes. If we were informed that such a big demolition is going to take place, we would have made some sort of arrangements,” he laments.
“I am a daily wage earner and this is my only house. Where else would I go?” he asks.
Putting the unfortunate incident behind, the residents filed an application against the demolition. They allege that Ram Asrey, the station officer of the local police post led the mission, to which the latter’s answer is, “We did what we were ordered to do”.
Vichitra claims that when he and other residents asked Asrey to present the copy of the written order, he couldn’t provide any.
Congress district president Akhilesh Kumar Shukla mentioned that he would take up the issue and ensure justice. “We will approach the DM and SDM to demand compensation or replacement of the property they’ve lost,” he said.
When asked whether or not any action has been taken, the sub-divisional magistrate said, “We have already forwarded their application to the CM’s office. We will let you know of the progress.”
