Mumbai Dalits evicted to make sure minister "doesn't see them while passing by": NHRC told to intervene

Demolition in Santa Cruz (East)

By A Representative
Mumbai-based Ghar Bhachao Ghar Banao Andolan (GBGBA) has asked the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to urgently intervene to ensure justice to the Dalit community, which has been “forcibly” evicted from the post East Santa Cruz (East) area.
Calling it as the “most inhuman act of the state”, GBGBA says, currently the Dalit community is forced to live on a pavement along the Western Express Highway toward Airport, opposite to Vakola Police Station. These families are living in portable housing units designed by NGO Billion Bricks.
Pointing out that this settlement was “brutally evicted by the Bombay Municipal Corporation on March 10 to ensure that a passing by minister from that road does not face this settlement”, GBGBA says, to hide the settlement, “authorities threw mud on the pavement and planted trees.”
Quoting an individual of the community, GBGBA says, “We were cooking our daily meal, when the BMC vehicles came. started breaking our tents and throwing mud and soil in our food. Almost all terts was broken. We ran to the highland situated nearby.’’
“We were asked to be in the highland near the community, and were told that after the government convoy passes by, we could again come back and settle down”, another individual is quoted as saying.
Pointing out that this settlement comprised of migrants from Jalna district of Marathwada region, who settled in the city years ago, but were never able to afford a formal housing, GBGBA says, “While the dreams and desires of children from privileged class have no limits, a small girl from this community says: I want to sleep once in a bed; will I ever get one?’’
In yet another instance, says GBGBA, the 10 year old settlement comprising at least 600 households called Sidhharth Nagar in Andheri West is under threat. While the demolition has been temporarily stopped because of the campaign on the pretext that children’s examinations were going on, it would face eviction, if there is no intervention.
Pointing out that such demolitions would cause harm to the “physical health of children and women”, GBGA cites a recent survey report conducted under the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme in Siddharthnagar, which highlights the need for additional nutrition supply to children in the area.
“Any denial of this service will add to their already pathetic life. A mother, whose house was demolished on March 22, says that her child is just 5 months old, and the eviction has caused extensive damage to the ration that she had collected over the week. Now, she has nothing to eat, nor money to buy supplementary food materials.
According to GBGBA, “A preliminary survey conducted by GBGBA has shown that the income of these households are irregular and so low that they cannot afford a formal housing and hence these people are forced to live in informal settlement.”
It adds, “Any eviction will render these families homeless forcing them to live under the sky as only shelter which can put their lives at risk especially of young ones and vulnerable to many infectious communicable diseases.”
Pointing out that there are several settlements like these in Mumbai which are under threat of eviction from various department of Maharashtra government for one or the reason, GBGBA says, “Despite guarantee of all fundamental rights including ‘right to life’ through Article 21 of the Indian Constitution to each citizen of India, we see it is being violated.”

Comments

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Kolkata dialogue flags policy and finance deficit in wetland sustainability

By A Representative Wetlands were the focus of India–Germany climate talks in Kolkata, where experts from government, business, and civil society stressed both their ecological importance and the urgent need for stronger conservation frameworks.

Beyond Lata: How Asha Bhosle redefined the female voice with her underrated versatility

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The news of iconic Asha Bhosle’s ‘untimely’ demise has shocked music lovers across the country. Asha Tai was 92 years young. Normally, people celebrate a passing at this age, but Asha Bhosle—much like another legend, Dev Anand—never made us feel she was growing old. She was perhaps the most versatile artist in Bombay cinema. Hailing from a family devoted to music, Asha’s journey to success and fame was not easy. Her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, had already become the voice of women in cinema, and most contemporaries like Shamshad Begum, Suraiya, and Noor Jehan had slowly faded into oblivion. Frankly, there was no second or third to Lata Mangeshkar; she became the first—and perhaps the only—choice for music directors and all those who mattered in filmmaking. Asha started her musical journey at age 10 with a Marathi film, but her first break in Hindustani cinema came with the film "Chunariya" (1948). Though she was not the first choice of ...

Maoist activity in India: Weakening structures, 'shifts' in leadership, strategy and ideology

By Harsh Thakor* Recent statements by government representatives have suggested that Maoism in India has been effectively eliminated, citing the weakening of central leadership and intensified security operations. These claims follow sustained counterinsurgency efforts across key regions, including central and eastern India. However, available information from security agencies and independent observers indicates that while the organizational structure of the CPI (Maoist) has been significantly disrupted, elements of the movement remain active. Reports acknowledge the continued presence of cadres in certain forested regions such as Bastar and parts of Dandakaranya, alongside smaller, decentralized units adapting their operational strategies.

From Manesar to Noida: Workers take to streets for bread, media looks away

By Sunil Kumar* Across several states in India, a workers’ movement is gathering momentum. This is not a movement born of luxury or ambition, nor a demand for power-sharing within the state. At its core lies a stark and basic plea: the right to survive with dignity—adequate food, and wages sufficient to afford it.

Midnight weeping: The sociology of tragic vision in Badri Narayan’s poetry

By Ravi Ranjan* Badri Narayan, a distinguished Hindi poet and social scientist, occupies a unique position in contemporary Indian intellectual life by bridging the worlds of creative literature and critical social inquiry. His poetic journey began significantly with the 1993 collection 'Saca Sune Hue Kaï Dina Hue' (Truth Heard Many Days Ago). As a social historian and cultural anthropologist, Narayan pioneered a methodological shift away from elite archives toward the oral traditions and folk myths of marginalized communities. He eventually legitimized "folk-ethnography" as a rigorous academic discipline during his tenure as Director of the G.B. Pant Social Science Institute.

Why link women’s reservation to delimitation? The unspoken political calculus

By Vikas Meshram* April 16, 2026, is likely to be recorded as a special day in the history of Indian democracy. In a three-day special session of Parliament, the central government is set to introduce a comprehensive package of three historic bills: the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Delimitation Bill, 2026; and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The stated purpose of all three is the same: to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Constitutional Amendment) passed in 2023. However, the political intent concealed behind these measures — and their impact on the federal balance — is far more profound. It is absolutely essential to understand this.

Catholic union opposes FCRA amendments, warns of threat to Church institutions

By A Representative The All India Catholic Union (AICU) has raised serious concerns over what it describes as growing threats to religious freedom, minority rights, and constitutional safeguards in India, warning that recent policy and legislative trends could undermine the country’s secular and federal framework.

'It's power grab, not reform': Uttarakhand hills fear marginalization under new delimitation

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The proposed delimitation bill, coupled with the women’s reservation bill, is a calculated attempt to divert attention during state elections while laying the groundwork for long-term power consolidation through a north Indian hegemony. India’s constitution-making process was arduous, but it was guided by leaders deeply committed to unity and integrity. They ensured no community felt betrayed, and the foundation of modern India was laid on inclusivity. Any attempt to alter this balance must be approached with caution and respect for that legacy.

Search This Blog