Smart Cities project put to "action": Forced eviction, demolition in Indore, Pad Yatra organized to oppose move

By A Representative
The Smart Cities flagship modernization programme of the Modi government has taken a big toll in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The Biyabani and Loharpatti areas in the old part of the Indore city have borne the brunt, with the demolition of 100-150 year old houses over the last two months.
The demolition drive led to more than 100 families becoming homeless, with their shops/livelihood also in jeopardy. More than 18 roads in Indore are set to undergo a transformation and await similar the similar fate of demolition.
The demolition, said to have been carried out without any democratic process consultation, has led to the local Nagrik Seva Samiti organize a foot march (pad yatra) in the ciy, in which social workers and academics across India, includng Ashok Dube, Tapan Bhatia, Bela Bhatia, SK Dube, Vijay Dalal, Pramod Bagnani and Medha Patkar participated.
A communique issued following the pad yatra said, “The residents stressed that the authorities used force to evict them and carry on with their demolition drive; often they employing ‘bouncers’ clad in the the Indore Municipal Corporation’s uniform to fulfill their objectives.”
Prepared by the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), the communique said, “A few of the residents were subject to physical violence and assault in what is an unprecedented abuse of power and authority.”
“Durgashankar, a resident of the area, witnessed his 65 year old house demolished along with his shop Bahaniya Arts. Another resident Kesarbai Rajendra Chauhan of Bhagat Singh Marg has lost 2 shops and his house”, the communique said.

“Shyamabai Rathod, a widow who has been living on her own is now rendered homeless, while Kaliram Vaidya’s family, after whom one of the roads in the area is named after did not find any relief, neither from the in-laws of the state’s ex-Chief Minister nor from an active BJP worker, whose house has also been partly damaged,” the communique said.
“Some of the residents approached higher authorities and also sought judicial recourse in response to the initial notification regarding the demolition only to find their pleas fall on deaf ears. In some cases, the court issued a stay order on the demolition only for a period of eight days, while in other cases it turned its back on the residents and directed them to the corporation again”, the NAPM said.
While the local BJP MLA was of no help, the NAPM reported, adding, Mayor Malini Gaur, whose proposed multi-storeyed construction site, also in the area, remains unaffected. “On the other hand, Gowtam Kumar Jain’s shop opposite Gaur’s proposed multi-storeyed shopping and residential complex lies currently partly demolished and is set to be fully demolished in the coming months”, NAPM said.
Suffering from open sewer and drainage problems, the demolition drive, said NAPM, has remained “complacent to the potential dangers of malarial epidemic in the area. “Sharp objects and rubbles from the demolition drive lie unattended to heightening concerns over children safety in the area”, it underlined.
Commenting on the development, the NAPM said, “The true nature of the transformation to Smart Cities has preliminarily shown that the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution is being restricted merely to big industrialists close to the Central government while the promise of Acche Din still waits unfulfilled and in fact unattended to.”

Comments

MG-NREGA: A global model still waiting to be fully implemented

By Bharat Dogra When the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MG-NREGA) was introduced in India nearly two decades ago, it drew worldwide attention. The reason was evident. At a time when states across much of the world were retreating from responsibility for livelihoods and welfare, the world’s second most populous country—with nearly two-thirds of its people living in rural or semi-rural areas—committed itself to guaranteeing 100 days of employment a year to its rural population.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Concerns raised over move to rename MGNREGA, critics call it politically motivated

By A Representative Concerns have been raised over the Union government’s reported move to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), with critics describing it as a politically motivated step rather than an administrative reform. They argue that the proposed change undermines the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and seeks to appropriate credit for a programme whose relevance has been repeatedly demonstrated, particularly during times of crisis.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Rollback of right to work? VB–GRAM G Bill 'dilutes' statutory employment guarantee

By A Representative The Right to Food Campaign has strongly condemned the passage of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–GRAM G) Bill, 2025, describing it as a major rollback of workers’ rights and a fundamental dilution of the statutory Right to Work guaranteed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). In a statement, the Campaign termed the repeal of MGNREGA a “dark day for workers’ rights” and accused the government of converting a legally enforceable, demand-based employment guarantee into a centralised, discretionary welfare scheme.

From jobless to ‘job-loss’ growth: Experts critique gig economy and fintech risks

By A Representative Leading economists and social activists gathered in the capital on Friday to launch the third edition of the State of Finance in India Report 2024-25 , issuing a stark warning that the rapid digitalization of the Indian economy is eroding welfare systems and entrenching "digital dystopia."

School job scam and the future of university degree holders in West Bengal

By Harasankar Adhikari The school recruitment controversy in West Bengal has emerged as one of the most serious governance challenges in recent years, raising concerns about transparency, institutional accountability, and the broader impact on society. Allegations that school jobs were obtained through irregular means have led to prolonged legal scrutiny, involving both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court of India. In one instance, a panel for high school teacher recruitment was ultimately cancelled after several years of service, following extended judicial proceedings and debate.

India’s Halal economy 'faces an uncertain future' under the new food Bill

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The proposed Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2025 marks a decisive shift in India’s food regulation landscape by seeking to place Halal certification exclusively under government control while criminalising all private Halal certification bodies. Although the Bill claims to promote “transparency” and “standardisation,” its structure and implications raise serious concerns about religious freedom, economic marginalisation, and the systematic dismantling of a long-established, Muslim-led Halal ecosystem in India.

Women’s rights alliance seeks NCW action against Nitish Kumar over public veil incident

By A Representative An alliance of women’s rights activists has urged the National Commission for Women (NCW) to initiate legal action against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over an incident at a public function in Patna that they allege amounted to a grave violation of a Muslim woman’s dignity and constitutional rights. In a detailed complaint dated December 18, the All India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA), part of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), sought the NCW’s immediate intervention following an episode on December 15 during the distribution of appointment letters to newly recruited AYUSH doctors in Patna.

Search This Blog