Alleged delay in demolition of an `unauthorised colony’ housing dalit families in Rampur district took political colour when Parliamentary Affairs minister Azam Khan joined Samajwadi Party activists during a protest against the unnecessary delay, while Congress condemned the move of removing the poor just to pave way for a luxurious Multi-Storey Mall in the area. Interestingly, Azam’s presence with SP workers left the red-faced officials squirming, and relented only when the collector “apologised”.
Reports said that the SP leaders dharna, which began on Friday evening and continued till midnight at Gandhi memorial in Rampur, was organised to protest against administration’s alleged “dilly-dallying” tactics in razing the unauthorised colony inhabited by people of a Dalit community in Topkhana area. The dharna was called-off after Superintendent of Police Sadhna Goswami and collector C K Tripathi, who sat by the side of the senior minister, assured him of initiating necessary action. The DM has apologised and dharna has been called-off, SP city president Asim Raza told the media persons.
It may be mentioned that a protest march was carried out by residents of the colony across the city on Thursday against the planned demolition of their houses after which the SP workers carried out a demonstration. The inhabitants of the colony have also started a hunger strike to protest against the demolition plan of the administration.
Meanwhile, Congress grabbed the opportunity and accused that the State government of adopting double standard on the issue. ``On one hand the SP government is planning to celebrate Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Jayanti in a grand way to woo dalits on coming Tuesday and on the other hand, just under the pressure of Azam Khan, the entire administration and the government had joined hands to remove the poor dalit families leaving them homeless”, alleged spokesman of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC), Amarnath Agarwal.
Flaying the government’s move through an official communiqué released here on Saturday evening, Congress leader further said that both Bharatiya Janta Party and SP is also trying to polarise the community having their eyes on Assembly polls in 2017. ``There are reports that just like the `Ghar-Wapsi programme launched by BJP leaders to divide the society, some leaders were also putting pressure on the above Dalits family to convert their religion and when they opposed to it, the move to demolish their houses has been made”, Agarwal charged while demanding chief minister Akhilesh Yadav to intervene to either stop the demolition or first to make some alternatives and than proceed with removing the families from their houses.