The 50 families in Sujabad, Varanasi, who were evicted from their slums for the second time this year, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to his constituency, were assured of help by the district administration, after THE WEEK reported it yesterday.
These slum dwellers in Sujabad were evicted in February, too, ahead of PM Modi's visit. THE WEEK had reported that, too. Interestingly, the village, which lies across Domari, is one of the villages adopted by Modi under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana.
Hours after the recent report was tweeted and shared by concerned citizens, around 50 district officials and police personnel arrived at Sujabad at 11.30pm last night. Saurabh Singh, chief functionary of the Innervoice Foundation which has been pursuing the case of these evictees, said, “The same SDM, Tehsildar, and police officials who were ignoring these issues and were humiliating slum dwellers changed their tone and requested them not to disclose their problems to anyone. They also promised to help and allot land for houses. The Naib Tehsildar provided them with blankets.”
On Monday, around 7am, the officials visited the homeless families again and took them about one kilometre north of the site where they were presently living and under the Rajghat bridge. They were asked to stay there. This site is some 400 metres away from the helipad at Domari where the PM Modi is to land.
While officials have asked the residents not to speak to the media about the issue, they have promised that those displaced will get their land ownership papers within two days.
The Sujabad police station incharge Ashish Mishra, who the slum dwellers had accused of harassing them, assured them that he will personally ensure that all formalities are completed as soon as possible. The residents had complained to THE WEEK about Mishra’s threats and his rudeness earlier.
A resident said that they have been requested not to speak to anyone, especially the media, and also not to allow anyone to take photographs or videos.
Singh said that he had also learnt that another lekhpal had been deputed to take stock of the situation.
The administration has also made arrangements for lunch for the evictees who have not been able to cook since their temporary settlements, too, were demolished last week.
