For The Right to Housing and To Save Basic Democratic Values
On 22-09-06
Starting from Collector’s Office, Kothi Char Rasta at 4.00 pm
To BJP and Congress offices in Vadodara Mun. Corporation premise, Khanderao Market.
With The Demand To Pass Resolutions in Standing Committee
* To provide land for relocation of slums within 2 km of original site, where demolition is inevitable.
* To fence the site 4’ by 6’ where Dargah at Champaneri Darwaja was demolished without proper democratic procedure of consulting and providing room for the views of Minority Community on 1st May,06.
In the name of development, Baroda has seen a demolition drive where more than 600 huts and @ 1200 non permanent housing units situated in slums are demolished in last one year and with the same excuse of road widening for ‘development’ a 300 year Dargah was demolished giving just 3 days’ notice in the name of the saint whose Dargah it was, without any consultation with minority community to know their sentiments or any solution that can solve the whole problem.
The minority community leaders had suggested on their own during those three days to reduce the dimension and fence a smaller place to avoid hurting their feelings, but even when the discussions were still not finished to reach any amicable solution to the satisfaction of both sides, the Dargah was demolished using extensive force, which lead to communal riots in Baroda. Two big police vans are standing on the site now to protect the site, in effect obstructing the traffic much more than the dargah actually was. This act of bullying the minorities is against the principles of basic democratic values and fanning of communal violence are dangerous for the working people. Therefore the demand to restore the site of Dargah is to pave way for communal harmony and save democratic values at each step where the state is becoming more and more authoritarian these days.
The rally will give memorandum to collector to ask the State Government to take action on both the issues and to the office bearers and corporators of both BJP and Congress to pass resolution in Standing Committee.
We appeal all to join the rally, send messages to Gujarat Government and VMC in favour of the demands.
‘Jan Aandolan’ c/o 101, Shri Krishna Appartment-2, Opp. Kothi Police Parade ground, Raopura, Vadodara-390 001.