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Bangalore's Eviction Horror

By Abhishek Kamat

26 January, 2013
Countercurrents.org

It has been eight days from now and the distraught families in Ejipura who were forcefully evicted from their homes lay out in the scorching heat seeking help from several NGOs and concerned citizens. So far no considerable help has been offered to these families. Many have successfully managed to erect temporary shacks that prevent them from the sun in the afternoon and the chilly cold during the night.

On the 19th of January 2013, in Ejipura many families were evicted overnight by the BBMP and were threatened to leave the settlement or face serious consequences. According to The Hindu the BBMP (Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike) has signed an agreement with Maverick Holding and Investment Private Ltd. to build residential complexes for the original EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) allottees and use the rest of the land by constructing a mall. For seven days, families who have remained at the settlement have resisted this demolition and are seeking help from various NGO’s. The BBMP and the local Goondas scour the area almost every day and issue threats to the families here but many remain undeterred by these threats and continue their battle for survival. One such family is that of Jacklin’s.

Jacklin is a 40 year old mother of two children Veronica and Melvin. What was once her home a couple of weeks ago; today is a barren land manned with bulky bulldozers. As I make my way to the chapel of Mary, which is the only building standing on the entire settlement, I encounter Jacklin and her sister Tresa busy tending their children. Their temporary shack aligned with the chapel consists of a wooden cradle and empty vessels. The living conditions are unhygienic since no sanitary measures have been undertaken by the BBMP. Jacklin hugs her children and says “where can I go now, I have been living here for 10 years, this is my only home, no one is coming to our aid, how can we leave this place when there isn’t any alternate accommodation for us”. She returns to her shack only to bring out a bag full of puliogare, which she had saved for supper. “This is only food we have been eating for days together, our church too does not help us any more. They give us a loaf of bread and some money and chase us away. My family did not eat a sumptuous meal for days. My children are hungry and I am running out of money.” Jacklin used to work as a cook, but when she had children she was forced to leave her job. Her husband is the sole breadwinner of her family, but since the demolition her husband is out looking for a concrete temporary shelter. Jacklin shares her temporary shack with two other families.

This forceful eviction has not only affected the lifestyle of Jacklin but has seriously affected the education of her children Veronica and Melvin. Veronica – 5 years old and Melvin - 7 years old have discontinued their school following the eviction since Jacklin doesn’t have the required amount to pay their school fees due the next month. “Life has been miserable for us. My children are denied education. I used all the money to produce legal documents and other related documents that will help us stay”.
However, the high court authorities after tremendous public pressure have issued a notice to provide shelter to the displaced families. Asking Jacklin on why did she not leave the settlement when the government was taking matters into its hands? She smiles and replies, “The families who left to Sarjapur in search of an accommodation are rendered homeless and continue to stay on the streets. The government has promised us to provide us shelter but only after 6 – 10 months, which is too long. Till then what are we supposed to do on the roads – the government is useless and won’t help us”. She further added the fact that many officials who came to the site following the demolition took money from these families, promising them a new home, but when these families went there (Sarjapur), they were forcefully evicted from their new homes since these officials who promised to provide them homes were fraudulent men. Approximately 15 families have been cheated.

Shabana, another resident of this settlement was lathicharged and then detained by the police for protesting on the premises. She and several other volunteers representing well known NGO’s were arrested for stopping the bulldozers from razing the place. Shabana shows me her plastered leg and reiterates how brutal the police force has been towards her and her family. After a while, her cousin brings the original permit letter issued by the BBMP stating their legal rights on the premises. She holds the permit letter and says, “How can the BBMP evict us despite us having permits letters, stay orders, ration cards and voters ID. We have all the documents that prove our legal rights to stay here. They cannot discard us like dirt. How can the BBMP sell our land to someone without acknowledging our presence. If they continue to harass us in this manner, I will commit suicide and I am quite serious about it.”

Shabana, Jacklin and a few families left behind are unable to afford a new home. A new home can cost them around Rs.10000 – Rs. 20000, which is way beyond their income. Apart from this the monthly rent charged amounts to Rs. 1000. “We used to pay Rs. 400 – Rs. 500 as our monthly rent, but this rent is surely going to make a hole in our pocket. Our husbands do not have an income sufficient to pay this rent. We do not have any hope”, says Shabana.

The lack of access to legal authorities and the government officials have made these families helpless. Even if they seek help from local MLAs and officials, all they get in return is abuse and more abuse that can even manifest itself into torture and harassment. These local MLAs get away by saying that they are unable to take any measures since it is against the high court orders. However, there are many buildings and shops in Bangalore that illegally encroach on government lands, so why isn’t the BBMP razing these buildings? Another reason possible for this forced eviction may be to target the poor and the Dalits. Since the dalits and the marginalized are snatched off their legal rights by the urban authority, it is likely to assume that such evictions can take place. Whatever the reasons are, these helpless families have mustered courage and through the help of several NGOs and youngsters, they are fighting for their rights. But for how long will these families fight and for how long with they sustain this battle against the good versus the odds? Will this terrible battle ever end? These are some of the questions that will always arise when we come across another horrendous eviction in our country. ..

Abhishek Kamat is a freelance journalist

 

 




 

 


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