By TCN Staff Reporter,
Ranchi: After the Jharkhand High Court ordered the state government to rehabilitate the residents of Islam Nagar area in the state capital who were rendered homeless in the anti-encroachment drive, the government has started enlisting the affected people who will be provided with alternative piece of land.
A large number of people lined up at the government camps to submit their application with residential proof. More than 1500 applications were submitted on Friday 22nd April. Several Muslim organizations are helping the victims to prepare applications.
Notably, On April 5, Islam Nagar, a Muslim-dominated slum colony in Ranchi, was razed to dust by BJP-led Jharkhand government referring to the High Court order to remove the illegal constructions but with the condition of rehabilitation. The Government took no measure to rehabilitate the affected people before demolishing their houses. The residents protested against this inhuman act which led to clash between residents and police forces in which two people lost lives while more than 10 got injured.
This created a wave of anger throughout the state and Jharkhand government earned criticism from several quarters of people for launching anti-encroachment drive in the areas of poor people without arranging alternate places for them. The Jharkhand High Court also came down heavily on the government for the way it adopted to remove illegal construction.
Consequently, the division bench of Chief Justice Bhagawati Prasad and Justice P C Tatia of Jharkhand High Court on 19th April ordered Jharkhand government to allot land to the victims of Islam Nagar at concessional rates and they will pay for it in instalments. To claim the land, they have to submit valid proof such as voter identity card or ration card.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the ruling coalition’s Coordination Committee, Shibu Soren has asked the state government for proper rehabilitation of the poor affected by the anti-encroachment drive.
At the meeting of Coordination Committee on 22nd April Shibu Soren who is also chief of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, a ruling alliance partner, urged Chief Mister Arjun Munda to make sure that the anti-encroachment covers all illegal occupation and not just that of poor.
Meanwhile, various Muslim organizations have continued to distribute relief packages among the affected families. After Imarat Shariah and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind it is Tanzim Ahl-e-Sunnat of Jamshedpur and Majlis-e- Ulema Ahl-e-Sunnat of Ranchi that are doing the noble job by providing financial aids to the affected people.