Many organisations and welfare collectives have decided to come together to organise a series of protests against the eviction of colonies of the urban poor and slum dwellers in the capital. These groups have formed a coalition wherein many organisations working for the welfare of these communities have united their voices against the Supreme Court’s order for the removal of 48,000 slums along the railway lines in Delhi. In response, the Centre has announced its decision to rule out the immediate possibility of evicting so many slum dwellers and has told the court that decisions are all underway to implement these orders. It is in this context that leaders of Congress such as Ajay Makes have challenged the demolition notices and have also said that the policy decided by the Centre is against the wellbeing of slum dwellers and is against their well-being especially amid the pandemic. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has said that he will make sure that slum dwellers would be made a part of the consultive process over the issue and nothing will be done without having consulted them. The Railway Basti Jan Sangharsh Morcha has decide to hold a series of protests against the decision even though it is hopeful that the Delhi government will keep up with its promise of consulting residents of slums in the entire process. The organisers of the protest have said that they will go ahead with their protest at any cost and want the Centre to listen to their demands. The organisational bodies have said, “ The residents should be consulted while the state and the Centre draw up a plan for their rehabilitation as it affects their homes and livelihood.”
One of the main aims of the protests is to ensure that the rehabilitation policy is improved upon and an alternative housing is provided to them. The organisers of the protest urge that it is part of gross injustice that slum dwellers are brutally uplifted and they are not consulted before developmental projects. This becomes an even unjust act at a time when the world is going through a pandemic.
