Haldwani (India): In the city of Haldwani, Uttarakhand, India, thousands of people took to the streets to prevent their homes from being destroyed.
By order of the Uttarakhand High Court, approximately 4,500 homes in the Bangborpura district of Haldwani have been declared built on land belonging to Indian Railways.
Last month’s court order builds on a litigation process initiated by an individual.
Residents of the area claim that the land does not belong to the railroad company, and the court’s decision to evict them ignores their legitimate rights.
The issue is now in India’s Supreme Court, where more than 50,000 people, most of whom are Muslims, are at risk of becoming homeless if the state’s High Court ruling is upheld.
“I was born here. I saw my grandfather live here. The land we live in has been ours for decades,” says Nisar, 74. Ahmad told Bernamah.
Uttarakhand, ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was split from Uttar Pradesh as an independent state in 2000.
Haldwani in Nainital district is one of the important commercial cities in the region and is located about 270 kilometers from New Delhi, the capital of India.
People from diverse income groups live in the Bangbor Phra area.
Some areas are congested and dilapidated, while others have wide roads, fine homes and business outlets.
The area appears to be well connected to municipal water and power lines.
“We have property papers and we pay taxes and utilities,” said Aneesur Rahman, a man in his 40s.
According to a list compiled by activists, the area covers an area of about 4.5 square kilometers, with 15 private schools and several state-owned schools, together with about 4,500 children.
There are 10 mosques, 12 madrasas and 4 Hindu temples.
“For 63 years this has been my home. Now we are told we are living in an invaded land. I hope to get justice from the Supreme Court,” said Samajdi of Uttarakhand. Abdul Mateen Siddiqi, the party’s secretary general, said.
The Uttarakhand court order has come as a shock to many who are concerned about their livelihoods and the future of their children.Bernama
