Delhi Madrasa Camp demolished today? Tamil families in panic!
Delhi : The government has decided to demolish the houses of Tamils in Delhi’s Nizamuddin Madrasa Camp on Sunday (June 1).
While Delhi government officials and city police made preparations for this, the Tamil families living there panicked and staged a final protest on Saturday.
The residential areas adjoining the Jangpura-Nizamuddin Barbulla drainage area of Delhi are slum areas known as Madrasi Camp. More than 400 families have been living here for about 40 to 50 years. In a case filed in the Delhi High Court, this area was described as an unauthorized residential area. Also, the court had ordered the removal of residential areas here in view of the floods and various development works in the area. At that time, the High Court had ordered the demolition of these residential areas while ensuring proper rehabilitation of the affected people.
According to this, from Sunday morning itself, the information about the demolition of this area was pasted on the doors of the houses by the Delhi Public Works Department.
Seeing this, the Tamils living in the area got angry. Tension has increased in the area.
The Delhi High Court has rejected the request for time filed by the residents in this case.
In the past few months, various protests have been held in support of the residents of this residential area by the Delhi State Communist Party of India (Marxist Party), Jananayaka Valibar Sangam and Naam Tamil Party. In this context, on May 31, parties including the CPI (M) held a protest in this area against the Delhi government and the ruling BJP.
Oruvar, a CPM leader involved in the protest, said, “The court has asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Delhi Urban Housing Development Board to allot flats to the residents here by May 20. The court has also asked them to ensure that there are basic amenities here. But, there are 350 residents here from 400. Out of this, 215 houses were allotted in Narela and given to the users. The infrastructure of these houses is livable. At present, Delhi is experiencing severe heat. If demolition activities start here as planned on June 1, it may lead to law and order problems.” Kamala alias Semangalam, who has been living in this area for about 50 years, says, “They say no one should live here after June 1. Can we go back to Tamil Nadu? My husband was the ‘Pradhan’ (leader) of this area. When Rajiv Gandhi died, he drank pesticide (in Tamil Nadu) to deal with the grief.” He died. Later I contested elections and became the Pradhan of this area. Now I make a living by washing utensils. They say that I do not have any other house. But, houses were allotted to those who came here after me. If the vehicle comes to demolish the house, I will also die, they say.
