Sayajipura residents observe bandh, displaced families yet to get homes

Anant Pandya, a local resident and part of the organizing members said, “We have held a Ram Dhun programme Monday to show that we are absolutely opposed to the VMC ruining the peace of our area by moving Muslim families here. We have closed our businesses for a day to ensure that the VMC does not give in to the demands of the Muslim families. We residents are united in our demand here and we have been petitioning the authorities to withdraw this decision for the peace of this area.”

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Residents had sought police permission for their event and a unit of the force was deployed around the venue for security.

Rajesh Patel, another resident, said, “We are unsure about the VMC as it has been going back and forth depending on the side pressurizing it. Our local leaders, including MLA Manisha Vakil had promised to support us and then the higher ups decided to please the other residents and we were left in a lurch. In no way do we want our area to become a communal one. We have invested our hard earned money here, not for this. We will fight tooth and nail for our rights.”

Residents said they were forced to form the Hindu Hitrakshak Samiti and appeal to Hindu neighbours to donate Rs 100 per family towards a PIL that has been pending. A resident, who did not wish to be named said, “We have already begun the process of filing the PIL but because the VMC assured us that it would amicably resolve the issue by providing the Muslim families an alternative. However, we do not want to be taken by surprise by a U-turn by the VMC and we are ensuring that our protest is heard.”

On Sunday, the BJP leaders had urged the displaced families to concede to the compromise of a “final allotment” of houses in the Muslim neighbourhood of Tandalja. Sources said it was only the second time in a decade that a meeting chaired by the Mayor was held in the VMC premises on a day off – the last being in May 2006, when the demolition of the Champaner dargah had flared communal tension. The ripple effect of this meeting with the families on Sunday meant that residents of Sayajipura, who have been staunchly opposing moving of Muslim families to the area, held a late night meeting and decided on a localized “bandh” to pressurize the VMC against its impending decision.

Representatives of the Kalyannagar families said it was “unfortunate” that the situation was being turned into a matter of divisive politics.

Arif Pathan, president of the Kalyannagar Residents’ Association said, “It is really sad that people are unwilling to concede their pride on humanitarian grounds. We are talking about hundreds of displaced families and several children whose future is at stake without access to schools.”