Rescue Miner Waqeel Hasan’s House Bulldozed!
Waqeel Hasan was a part of the team of 12 workers who rescued the 41 entrapped workers in Uttarakhand’s Silkyara Tunnel in November last year. He along with his associates worked tirelessly to save fellow workers who were trapped when the tunnel collapsed. After returning from the rescue operation he said that they took the risk for their fellow workers, it was a duty to the nation that they served.
After three months, the central government agency Delhi Development Authority (DDA) bulldozed the house of the Nation’s Hero in Delhi’s Khajuri Khas.
On 28th February, a team of DDA and Delhi police reached Waqeel Hasan’s house in the morning. At that time, only the children of the family were present. Despite that, the DDA and Delhi Police continued thrashing his door forcefully. It is to note that all officials forcing the children to open the door were male officials. When Waqeel and his wife returned home and clarified to DDA that they have bought the house and have been staying in the house for more than a decade, Delhi Police arrested Waqeel and his wife and kept them at Khajuri Khas police station. In the meantime, bulldozers ravaged Waqeel’s house to the ground.
A team of CPIML-AICCTU-AISA-AILAJ team consisting of Sucheta De (AICCTU National VP), Ramabhilash (CPIML Delhi), Aditya, Vikash (AISA) and Amarjit (AILAJ) visited Khajuri Khas and met Waqeel and his family. We have extended all kinds of support including legal support.
Our team got to know that Waqeel was not served any notice before the demolition. DDA and Delhi Police officials acted completely illegally and forcefully bulldozed his house.
The present BJP regime takes pride in its bulldozer governance. We remember how BJP’s MCD Councillors were marking colonies to be bulldozed. We remember Khori Village, Jahangirpuri, Tughlakabad, Gyaspur, Mehrauli, Dhobighat and Priyanka Gandhi Camp and several other areas in Delhi where thousands of people have been made homeless within one day. Their lifelong investment in the form of their houses were destroyed forcefully. The present law in Delhi prohibits any demolition without prior notice. The DDA almost never bothers to give notice before demolition. The government is mandated to provide rehabilitation. In the case of Waqeel Hasan, the entire demolition was a criminal act performed by DDA and Delhi Police.
Central Trade Unions Protest at DDA Head Quarters
Hundreds of workers from different parts of Delhi and Khajuri Khas joined the protest at DDA Head Quarter on 4th March against Illegal demolition of Wakeel Hasan's house. They demanded punishment of DDA officials and the reconstruction of Waqeel Hasan’s house.
Shabana, Waqeel Hasan's wife said at the protest, "DDA officials acted like goons and demolished our house. My husband risked his life to serve the nation and this is how we are being treated. Manoj Tiwari, MP from the area has met us and assured of house. But where is the guarantee? He should give written assurance of land rights and reconstruction of our house".
Tapan Sen, General Secretary, CITU said, "Today the government has made it very clear whom their bulldozer is targeted at. It is workers like Waqeel Hasan who are the targets of their bulldozer. The trade union movement of the country will guarantee that Waqeel Hasan gets justice and his house is reconstructed."
Sucheta De, National Vice President of AICCTU said, "The government should have guaranteed permanent jobs and proper housing for all rescue miners. Instead Waqeel Hasan's house is being demolished. The DDA is responsible for making thousands of families in Delhi homeless. From Tughlakabad, Mehrauli, Sangam Vihar to Khajuri Khas, the anti-poor bulldozer of DDA continue to destroy lives. All laws of the land continue to be violated by these bulldozer actions."
The Trade Unions have submitted memorandum to DDA officials and demanded Punishment for the DDA official who ordered the illegal demolition, Land rights in the place of residence to Waqeel Hasan, Reconstruction of his house and Adequate compensation for the loss incurred by Waqeel and his family.