Over 50 ‘kutcha’ houses were razed using bulldozers that left more than 150 women, men and children homeless following the orders of Tina Dabi, district collector
Chandigarh: IAS officer and Jaisalmer District Collector Tina Dabi has issued a statement after protests following the demolishing of houses of Pakistani-Hindu refugees on her orders in Jaisalmer.
Dabi has been trending on Twitter for issuing orders to vacate the government land on which the Pakistani-Hindu migrants were living
Close on the heels of Jodhpur, where houses of Pakistani Hindu migrants were demolished, the houses of Pakistan Hindu migrants living in Amar Sagar area, about 4 km from Jaisalmer district headquarters, were demolished following Dabi’s orders.
Over 50 ‘kutcha’ houses were razed using bulldozers leaving more than 150 women, men and children homeless.
The Pakistani Hindu migrants staged a dharna by putting up tents outside the collector’s office.
“Our demand is we should be re-settled at the same place or some other place,” one of the protesters said.
Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore has termed it as appeasement politics of the Congress government.
He said demolishing the homes of Hindu refugees from Pakistan with bulldozers in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer shows the “cruel attitude of the Congress government”.
He said Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot should stop his politics of appeasement and make proper arrangements for the refugees’ stay.
According to the administration, the displaced persons were living in illegally constructed houses on the banks of the Amar Sagar pond, obstructing inflow of water into the pond.
Tina Dabi–while talking about the eviction drive–said the migrants would be moved to shelter houses till they get proper allotment of land.
“We issued a circular on April 5 too. We have been trying to make them understand but many didn’t get convinced. The place they were residing in had already been allotted to others. We had a talk with them today. They will be moved to shelter houses till they get a proper allotment of land,” said Dabi.
According to the administration, the displaced persons were living in illegally constructed houses on the banks of the Amar Sagar pond, obstructing inflow of water into the pond.
She had a meeting with the migrant protesters on Wednesday and assured them of resettlement at some other place.
“Today, a successful dialogue was held with the people. As per their demand, Urban Improvement Trust (UIT) will mark them in a week and give them a proper place. They were assured of settlement at some other place, after which the protestors decided to end their strike. The land on which the encroachment was removed yesterday was either allotted by UIT earlier or is in the water catchment area. That’s why we have explained to those people that if you sit at this place then you will face problems in future also,” Dabi said.
She said the land would be allotted to those who have been granted citizenship.
“The encroachments removed yesterday were part of an ongoing drive since the last 10 days. The land will be allotted to those who have got citizenship, the others will be identified and settled. Once they get citizenship they will also be allotted land,” Dabi added.
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