New Delhi: Politicians continued to make a beeline for the slums in Shakur Basti area of Delhi as the residents struggled to fight the cold and the devastation that a demolition drive carried out by the Railways has left behind. Around 1,200 people are reported to have been displaced. A political firestorm broke out after Rukaiya, a six-month-old child, lost her life allegedly as a result of the drive.
Here are 10 major developments in this case that you need to know:
1. The Delhi High Court today came down hard on the Railways over the demolition drive, stating that the Railways was in a hurry to demolish the shanties in Shakur Basti. “What was the tearing hurry to demolish Shakur Basti JJ cluster in December?” a Delhi HC bench asked the Railways counsel. “You really don't care about people, just want to remove them. What steps taken to help Shakur Basti residents?” the bench asked. The HC also directed government agencies to make a coordinated action plan for rehabilitation.
2. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today met Union Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu in the aftermath of the incident. No slums will be demolished in Delhi from now on, Kejriwal said after the meeting. “First, people living in the slums will be rehabilitated peacefully, then the vacant land will be handed over to the railways,” he added.
3. Speaking in parliament today on the issue, Suresh Prabhu refuted allegations of the girl having died during the demolition. The post mortem too gave different indications. “Post Mortem clearly states that she died around 9.30 am on Saturday. The family reached hospital at around 10.30 am on Saturday. Cops left police station at around 10.30 am and demolition started at noon,” Joint CP, SW Range, Delhi Police, Dependera Pathak said. Calling the hutment an encroachment, Prabhu said they had become an impediment for building a new passenger terminal and were also a safety hazard.
4. Prabhu, Kejriwal and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi were locked in a war of words over the issue, as the grieving father of the six-month-old girl said she died in the panic caused by the imminent demolition. While Prabhu challenged Kejriwal for a debate, Rahul Gandhi said AAP had no right to protest as the incident occurred under their rule. Kejriwal rebutted Rahul saying the latter was “still a kid” and that probably the Congress had not apprised him of the fact that the Railways, which carried out the razing, fell under the central government.
5. Rahul Gandhi undertook a visit to the hutment area and promised all possible help. “Take my name if anybody comes to demolish jhuggi, he said. He also lashed out at AAP government for not making alternate arrangements for the slum dwellers for their rehabilitation. "Why they (AAP) are protesting? Jhuggis are being demolished in AAP-ruled state," he said.
6. The Delhi government on Sunday ordered a magisterial probe into the demolition of 1200 slum units at Shakur Basti and planned to move court seeking FIR against those who ordered the action citing the Special Provision Act according to which no demolition can be carried out until government needs land urgently.
7. The Railways, meanwhile, maintained that the removal of fresh encroachment was necessary for expanding the infrastructure and that the action had been taken after three notices, the first one with the March 14, 2015 deadline.
