Eviction of marginalized people is crime: Binayak Sen

Terming the eviction of the marginalized people as a crime against humanity, Dr Binayak Sen, on Friday stood by the slum-dwellers of Nonadanga and evicted hawkers of Kolkata.

Dr. Sen, working president of the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties, on Friday visited Nonadanga along with his colleagues in the medical fraternity “Forum for People’s Health’. Slum dwellers narrated him how they are being tortured and terrorized by the state as well as supporters of the party in power.

“Police beat us mercilessly, arresting us as we asked for alternative shelter. We were released only yesterday after spending 4 nights. Police branded as ‘Maoists.’ said Punya, a slum-dweller.

Taking a child on his lap, Dr Sen quipped, “See this one year old child —a Maoist — one of the most dreaded enemies of the nation.”

He said, “Branding Maoists to suppress any opposition to Government’s whims has become a pattern. It helps governments to opt for inhumane torture of arrested people. This is unconstitutional and against democratic norms.”

He said that ‘tolerance to dissention is essential factor of democracy’ which is being ignored here.

“I came to know that people are being punished for slightest criticism of government’s steps,” he said in reply to a question adding, “I have nothing to comment on Chief Minister, all I have to say is on governance.”

Hawkers Sangram Samity, an organization of the hawkers, claimed, “More than 20,000 hawkers have been evicted from the streets in Kolkata and suburb after the new government taken charge. The government is not even following National Hawker Policy in this regard.”

On the other hand, about 200 slum-dweller families of Nonadanga at the eastern fringe of the city are struggling after the forcible eviction.

On eviction of marginalized people in several states, for urbanization or industrialization or for mining activities, Dr Sen said, “Half of our nation lives on earning their livelihood from common property. Depriving them from their livelihood is virtually pushing them to dead end. This is not only inhuman or uncivilized but also a crime against humanity.”

On behalf of PUCL, Dr Sen said that if PUCL people in West Bengal feel, then he may write a letter to Chief Minister to consider the cases of the marginalized people’s rights. It is learnt that the Forum for People’s Health has taken initiative to get an appeal signed by globally or nationally acclaimed dignitaries to hand that over to the state Governor on Nonadanga issue.

The Forum announced to start a medical camp at Nonadanga as they had done during Singur and Nandigram days. They would run free health clinic on regular basis. Slum-dwellers, most of whom are Aila-victims of the Sundarbans, revealed that the whole area has no PDS shop. None of the slum-dwellers have been provided with BPL cards. No drinking water facility is there. Evicted persons from Toly Nallah, Govindapur and other areas were dumped here since 2005. Magsaysay awardee Mahasveta Devi established a non-formal school with a hand-pump for the children from her pocket, which is now occupied by the police. Slum-dwellers are being lathicharged if they try to collect water from Mahasveta pathshala.

As the Chief Minister recently announced that none will be evicted without providing alternative arrangements, the slum-dwellers are planning to take out a rally to the Chief Minister asking for their alternative arrangements.

Amitabha Bhattacharya of MKP, who has volunteering himself for their rights, said, “Chief Minister’s office has received our letter to meet her on May 17. Joint Commission of Police verbally told us to apply for permission, but when we went their, he refused to accept our petition. So, being forced, we sent our petition through ‘Registered with AD’ to meet CM along with slum-dwellers.”