Congress demands action against Lodha: Due process not followed in Malwani demolition

Earlier this month, the authorities had demolished several structures in Malwani, which they claimed were “unauthorised”. Lodha, Mumbai Suburban’s Guardian Minister, had claimed that Congress MLA Shaikh had been encouraging the “infiltration” of Bangladeshi and Rohingya nationals in Malwani and thereby playing with the country’s security.

On Sunday, BJP workers held a protest demanding action against Shaikh, alleging that the Congress MLA threatened Lodha over the matter.

During the press meet, the Congress presented several Hindu and Dalit families, who said their homes were demolished during the operation. Sawant said the party’s assessment indicated that residents from multiple communities had been affected and the demolished homes had existed for over two decades.

“Residents were not given notices or an opportunity to present documents,” Sawant alleged, adding that the procedure outlined under the Supreme Court’s guidelines had not been followed.

Sawant claimed that minister Lodha had directed officials to carry out the drive , even as he does not hold charge of the Revenue Department.

Sawant claimed that the complaint that triggered the demolition was submitted by a BJP member, who himself facing criminal cases, and added that the matter required an investigation. He sought the suspension of officials involved and the removal of Lodha from the Cabinet.

Addressing the BJP’s claim that the targeted structures were linked to illegal foreign nationals, Sawant said no case had been forwarded to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), which is the authority that handles verification and deportation processes.

Sawant further alleged that the absence of such referrals indicated that the demolition was unrelated to foreigner identification procedures. The families who attended the press meet claimed that the they were not asked to produce verification cards before the action. Lodha and the state government officials are yet to respond to Congress’ allegations.