-- V.B. Rawat, Social Development Foundation
  
"If that MCD man comes in front of me, I will shoot him", said Mehar Kanti, a 30 year-old woman with three children, whose house was demolished along with 6000 others in the Ashok Vihar slum area. The Municipal Corporation has been on the demolition drive for long. The people were informed that before Diwali, they had to vacate their houses. However, none of them were ever given any alternative sites to go and work. Then, the Diwali festivities passed peacefully and the MCD people continued to be busy with their own work. However, on November 11, 2005 a heavy posse of police and their demolition squad arrived. There was no warning to the people. Old and young, men and women - anyone who tried to protest was mercilessly beaten, some even hospitalized. According to one eye witness, nearly 25 people were injured. I could see Lalla lying unconscious across the rubble that was once his house. Amidst the chaos, nobody noticed that a stone hit his head when he was trying to collect his possessions from his home. Unmindful of this, his future is now unknown. In the rush, one woman lost her two legs as the roof fell on her.  Many people were rushed to hospitals and the community did not get any help from the doctors.

Interestingly, there was not much media available. The media, which usually jumps on sensation and brings to light the people's cause, does not consider the slum people as worthy to their work. Yes, it is the middle class media which considers everything and everyone in the slums as a den of thieves.
 
Those who have visited earthquake prone areas will remember how it looks when an entire village is demolished. While we cry for all those who die in natural disasters, it is shameful that our attention does not go the poor who live in these slums.
 
When you migrate to Delhi from your village with a dream, that dream cannot be living in the slums of Delhi or chawls of Mumbai. Yet, the feudal structure remains unchanged despite our loud claims of a stronger democracy and decentralized government. People still find it better to live in slums with their head high than in their villages where their work is not rewarded by the wages and where the life of their children and women folks remain the mercy of the upper caste landlords or powerful backward farmers. The slum of Ashok Vihar was a Bundelkhand of Delhi. A majority of the people here are from Mahoba, a famous castle town of Bundelkhand in Uttar-Pradesh. One can understand with the nature of caste configuration that these people belong to the Dhanuk community, a Dalit community. This also reflects how the migration of Dalits is happening from the powerful feudal areas to live a life of dignity even if they have to live in utterly difficult situations in the cities.
 
Nights are not that great in the months of November, particularly for the young and old. People were sitting around bonfire. They remained calm but deeply hurt about the attitude of the authorities. Ramswaroop works at Ghantaghar in Ashok Vihar in a music shop. Now shifted to Naraila, it is going to be very difficult for him to survive. He has to shell out Rs.15/- for one way travel and it takes around one hour and thirty minutes to reach the destination. Similar is the condition of women who had been working as domestic chore workers in different houses. "Every one wants us to come on time and work on a low payment. They want us to even remain in the night to clean their utensils after they had finished their meal. But they don't like us to be here," said Usha, who is mother of four children.
 
Bundiya has five children and was given no slip from the demolition. Her ration card was in the name of her father-in-law, Bulli, but that has been cancelled. There is no mention as to why their card was cancelled. Prakash, son of Kashi Ram, is a 39 year-old man who migrated to Delhi some 25 years back. He has three sons and one daughter. Since his sister was getting married back in Mahoba he had to go there. Once he returned, he found the authorities were not taking any interest in him despite his showing them his ration card and all his papers. He works as a labourer and has got no assurance from the authorities.
 
It is strange that not all people have got the slip of a new location from the authorities.  Most of the people have relocated to Dwarka, Bawana, Narela, Holambi Kalan, Madanpur Khadar. These places are far away from the current location. The issue of rehabilitation does not merely mean a small entitlement for a house for which people pay Rs 7,000/-. Rehabilitation should mean water and sanitation. It should also mean education and health. Most importantly, how is government going to compensate people for their work?
 
The rehabilitation process in India is not only insensitive to the poor people but unorganized and inefficient. One could go so far as to say the authorities go on a rampage to displace people. Is not it right for the government to at first ensure a place for the people and then ask them to leave their homes. Secondly, there is no sensitivity with regards to women and children. There were many widows who were working hard to provide for their families and yet they did not get a slip to own a house. Ramidei, wife of the late Daya Ram, has one  daughter and works as a labourer. She has all the papers in her possession; her voter ID and ration card, and yet she has not received a slip from the authorities. Janaki, wife of the late Chandra Bhan, had three children and works tremendously hard to keep her family going. Lachchi bai's husband died some years back and has two young sons; she also did not get any assurance from the authorities. "They are not ready to speak to us. They look down upon us with utter contempt," she voiced in anguish.
 
There is no assurance from the government about where these victims should go. Brothers and sisters have been separated. Neighbourhoods have been destroyed. Friends have been separated. Some have gone to Holambi kalan, others to Narela, and some to Dwarka, all relatively far-away places. They have no thought at the moment as what to do.
 
To look to great Delhi's power, people are going on a rampage to kill the aspirations of the poor who have come in search of their dream to live a dignified life. They are building up the country on the death and destructions of the poor. It is therefore important that the government respect its social responsibility and act in the greater interest of the country, with sensitivity and care. The writing is on the wall.