INTENSIFY THE MOVEMENT AGAINST EVICTION DRIVE UNDER THE BANNER OF BASTI BACHAO SANGARSH SAMITI All of you know that the Munda government in Jharkhand by keeping the High courts decision at the fore, had started evacuating the lands in a war footing haste by bulldozing the shelters of common people in the name of removing unauthorized encroachment. Many areas in Bokaro and Jamshedpur have already been evacuated by demolishing the houses of common poor people and now the process has been started in Ranchi, the capital. Islamnagar, Nagababa khatal, Alinagar has been bulldozed within a very short notification. Two persons, Golden and Guddu khan were shot dead by the police in Islamnagar who were protesting against this eviction drive. Notification for land evacuation had been sent further to the occupants of 30 villages inhabited in HEC Premises and airport area. According to the government it is an unauthorized encroachment and the decision of the honorable High court must be respected. It is to be noted that during the foundation years of HEC, the government itself provided these people land to build up their shelters. Not only that, these people have voters card, ration card, electricity, water and telephone connections, residential certificate etc. in the name of these areas. At that time it wasn’t unauthorized but this time it is an encroachment. Point is that these people have been residing in these areas for 50-60 years and they have necessary legal documents with them. The law says that if some one residing in an area for 20 yrs. they get the right of that place. Many people from outside India like Pakistan, Bangladesh are residing in many parts of India such as Delhi, Agra, Dandakaranya, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Island for many years. Netaji Nagar, situated in Kantatoli Ranchi also falls under this category and they have been given the ownership of their lands There are many places in this state like Greenland and others which has been encroached illegally by some rich people but no such decisions have been made against them.. Infact, the governmnet is bringing ordinance to save their properties. Point to be noted that government has no such plannings for slum dwellers of the state. Government is not disbursing the crores of fund which has been given to the state under plannings like BSUP, JNNURM for Urban slum development. Question is why government is not utilizing this fund? Actually, after the formation of Jharkhand as a new state and Ranchi being its capital, the cost of land have been increased manifold and in the name of development, government wants to handover these areas to the millionaires to construct shopping malls, multiplexes, hotels etc. for their pecuniary benefits. Government has left no stone unturned to deomolish this movement against evictition drive. In Dhanbad 7 people were shot dead by the police and 27 badly injured. All these people were protesting against this demolition drive. It is indicating the anti-people policies of the government and it is certainly an attack on democratic rights of the people. Moral of the story is that, the war has begun against this autocratic regime. People don’t want to leave their lands at any cost and the movement under the banner of basti bachao sangarsh samiti will continue until and unless the people get the ownership of their land. This is our appeal to all right thinking people to join us to intensify this movement against this inhumane demolition drive. Also we are expecting your opinions and feedbacks which will help us to build up powerful mass movement against this exploitation.