Mahasansad by Displaced People in Deoria
A Mahasansad (Parliament) for the displaced, homeless, and landless workers was organised under the banner of the CPI (ML) on 3 February 2019 in Deoriya (Uttar Pradesh) with the slogan ‘We Demand Land, Housing, and Jobs’, against the ‘Displacement of the Poor’ campaign orchestrated by the Modi-Yogi governments.
Addressing the workers’ Mahasansad, Jan Sanskriti Manch National General Secretary and senior journalist Com. Manoj Singh said that forcibly evicting the poor workers’ families settled for 50 years in the Raghavnagar hutments and not rehabilitating them even after 2 months is a violation of the fundamental principles and guidelines of the United Nations Organization and of the Supreme Court directive. The forcible eviction of the poor workers’ families has deprived them of their right to housing, employment and livelihood, food, health and education. If the Deoriya District administration does not provide housing with basic facilities for all homeless, displaced and landless persons, this matter will be taken up with the Human Rights Commission and to the High Court through Public Interest Litigation (PIL). Detailing the UN principles and guidelines and directives by the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court on the rights of the landless, Com. Manoj Singh said that forcible eviction is a blatant violation of human rights. The landless cannot be evicted from their homes or their land against their wishes. If they are evicted for the purpose of a government project, they must be kept in temporary shelter homes until permanent housing is arranged for them. But in Deoriya the District administration has arranged neither temporary nor permanent housing for the displaced workers. He expressed astonishment that no proper arrangements have been made for the displaced of Deoriya and said that the administration is callous in the matter of the landless, whereas it is because of the wrong policies of the government that the number of landless people is continuously rising.
Addressing the Mahasansad, CPI (ML) State Committee member Com. Premlata Pandey said that the Modi-Yogi governments are forcibly evicting the poor in the name of development. Their policies are not only anti-poor but also against farmers, workers, women, students and youth. These governments are working only for the benefit of capitalists and unleashing oppression and repression on the poor in the interests of corporate houses. The Mahasansad passed resolutions to demand the following: speedy rehabilitation of the displaced poor; civic amenities for dignified living for the urban poor; withdrawal of false case against AIPWA District President Gita Pandey for leading the agitation against displacement; withdrawal of the decision to give Tourism Department land to capitalists at a mere Re 1 per year ‘patta’; eviction of dominant sections and influential persons illegally occupying government bungalows in Deoriya city.
