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- Governance by Denial: Forced Eviction and Demolition of Homes in Koramangala (Ejipura), Bangalore - Interim Report of Fact-finding Mission
http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?pgNo=3&edcode=860009&eddate=2013-3-07
- Report in Daily News and Analysis 7 March 2013
http://unboxedwriters.com/2013/02/democracy-is-such-a-lonely-word/
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151439992971737.511754.135629861736&type=1
APPEAL
Enough is enough!
Daring Delhi ! Raise your voice against theft of public lands
Protest Against illegal, Brutal & Anti People Eviction
04 March, 2013 | Monday| 10:30 am | Jantar- Mantar, Delhi
Join Action / Protest against brutal illegal anti poor eviction !
rally around the fight against the EWS land grab at Bangalore !
4th March- Mass protest at Jantar –Mantar Delhi,
5th March Public hearing at Gandhi peace Centre by eminent Juries.
6th Consultation at Indian Social Institute , on Way Forward.
The forum against het EWS Land Grab - Bangalore, along with the Civil society organisation in Delhi Like the Delhi Forum, National Movement for Land, Labour and justice-NMLLJ, INSAF, NAPM, PUCL, HLRN have come together to demonstrate their protest against the inhuman eviction in Bangalore that happened between 18-21th Jan,2013
Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore’s local government along with the police demolished around 1200 tin-sheds , evicting 5000 slum dwellers mostly Dalits, minorities & MBCs communities at the economically weaker sections (EWS) quarters in Ejipura from 18-21 January, 2013. About 1200 women and 2000 children were affected by this action. The four-day demolition drive razed around 900 tin-sheds that were erected at the quarters more than 11 years ago. No written notice was served to the residents. The demolition was accompanied by violent police action which included pulling people out of their homes when they pleaded for the house not to be destroyed ; lathi-charge of women and elders who resisted the demolition and the arrest of twenty one women [1].
Since the night of 18th January, hundreds of families have been living out in the open, braving the cold. Toilets in the area have been demolished, water supply has been cut and there is absolutely no shelter provided. Senior citizens, children and pregnant women in the area have been living in the open with serious risk to their health.
Now hundreds of child stop going to school and students are not in position to appear in the final examinations. They already lost all books and other study related belongings during the brutal eviction.
This is to appeal to all democratic organisations, parties and individuals to join the mass protest demonstration against the disastrous eviction and call the attention of the country to the barbaric land grab by the joint government – corporate agencies pushing 1200 families from Dalit –minority communities by the ruling BJP government in Karnataka. The scattered families who are living on pavements of this IT city are crying for Justice and Dignity. Leaders from this broken community are coming to Delhi to seek your support and solidarity in their continued struggle against the government that is playing in to the hands of corporate encroachers who had thrashed them away from of the land they were living for 20 years and more. Continuously snubbed by the bureaucrats , cheated by their own political representatives, now they still believe their consistent struggle supported by the voice of their fellow country women and men, they can get back their land to ensure a life with dignity.
Once again we appeal to you to mobilise all possible strength and resources at your disposal to demonstrate strength and solidarity with the struggling community and participate actively to reclaim the EWS land from the Corporate land grabbers and the govt agencies that allowed the same.
Yes ! Your voice, solidarity, support at any form and action in can bring a difference in their lives .
M R Prabhakar
forum Against EWS Land grab
ARUN KHOTE
National Movement for land, Labour & Justice (NMLLJ)
....
Please Contact. Sanjeev 9958797409 Delhi Forum
M.R.Prabhakar 09449820566 forum Against EWS Land grab- Karnataka
Arun Khote 0951872099 National Movement for land, Lobour & Justice
PRESS RELEASE
Demolition of EWS quarters and the Eviction of Residents
Saturday, January 19, 2013, Bangalore
The BBMP today began demolition of homes and evicting residents from the EWS quarters at Ejipura. During the process of demolition and eviction protestors were lathi charged, physically dragged by the police and arrested - all of them women. They have been remanded to judicial custody till next Tuesday. These women have been separated from their families and homes, and cannot protect their shelters and belongings from the demolition bulldozers.
The BBMP official, B T Ramesh who was at the spot could not produce any official documents that showed that he and his crew had the authority to demolish structures and evict residents. Nor did he produce any copy of the notification supposedly shared with the residents a month back. Notices which the BBMP claimed were pasted on the houses, were not visible on any of the houses. All the residents that we spoke to had not been notified and were unaware of this demolition drive.
In a meeting with the BBMP Commissioner today, Mr. Siddaiah agreed to stop demolitions of the occupied homes and to give a time period of 3 months for evacuation. In fact, Mr. Siddaiah called BT Ramesh in presence of activists and EWS residents. However, the demolition continued unabated; Mr. Ramesh insisted on a written order from Commissioners office, who conveniently disappeared by then. As of this afternoon, the police had given a 6 pm notice to the residents to clear their belongings. As of now, it is reported that as many as 500 homes have been razed to the ground by the BBMP bulldozers today. Many families are out on the streets, since they do not have the finances or support to re-locate. Children whose mothers were arrested are in streets - searching them. Women cry helpless, not knowing where to take their young and old.
We, the members of civil society, representing different organisations (PUCL, PDF, and Concern) condemn the deplorable and inhuman way the demolitions, police violence and evictions have been implemented. We call for an immediate and complete halt to the eviction of residents and the demolition of occupied homes in the EWS quarters. We further demand that all charges against the residents and activists be dropped.
Right to shelter is one of the principle rights enshrined in Article 21 of our constitution. A state, under no circumstance, has a right to go against either the letter or the spirit of this right without providing alternative arrangements for all those it renders homeless. Further the police protection of demolitions does not legitimise its use of brute force and physical violence against the weakest in our society - who are but protesting, losing their all.
Issued by: People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), People’s Democratic Forum (PDF) & Concern - Bangalore
