Community leaders have called for an impartial investigation to uncover the reasons behind this discriminatory action
Team Clarion
RAIPUR – A demolition drive in Ambikapur town of Chhattisgarh has left 60 Muslim families homeless, sparking allegations of bias and discrimination. The forest department justified the action, claiming the homes were illegal encroachments on forest land. However, local residents and community leaders have raised questions over why only Muslim homes were targeted while neighbouring properties belonging to other communities were left untouched.
“A total of 200 houses are built on this forest land, yet only Muslim homes were demolished,” said Ghulam Mustafa, a local Muslim leader. “Notices were served to 60 families on Friday evening, giving them little time to act. We moved the high court to seek a stay order, but the demolition proceeded before we could get relief.”
The demolitions followed a visit by state Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap to the Surguja district, where he reportedly directed officials to remove alleged encroachments. According to Mustafa, the affected families, originally migrant labourers from Jharkhand, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, have been living in the area for over two decades.
In stark contrast, houses belonging to Dalits and other communities on the same land were not touched. “The administration targeted the centre of the settlement, where the majority of homes belong to Muslims. If this was truly about forest conservation, why wasn’t there an unbiased approach?” questioned Mustafa.
The controversy surrounding this community dates back to 2017, when a campaign was launched labelling the residents as “Rohingyas” and demanding their eviction. Despite these accusations, investigations revealed no evidence of illegal immigration or ties to Rohingya refugees. Shafi Ahmed, a Congress leader, highlighted the double standards of the administration.
“These residents have been here for 20 years,” Ahmed said. “If the BJP governments at both the state and centre claims to safeguard national borders, how could these so-called Bangladeshis or Rohingyas settle here unchecked? Earlier investigations found no truth to these claims.”
Ahmed further criticised the timing of the operation. “This is not about encroachments; this is targeted harassment. The administration needs to answer why these demolitions were unilateral.”
The demolitions have left many families in dire straits. Women, children, and the elderly now face homelessness in the winter season. A local organisation, the Raza Unity Foundation, submitted a memorandum to the district collector demanding immediate arrangements for food, water, shelter, and medical aid for the displaced families.
“Our president’s house was among those demolished,” said Shadab Rizvi, the group’s leader. “We are urging the administration to provide emergency support to the affected people.”
State Minister OP Chaudhary stirred further controversy by claiming that the affected residents speak Bengali, a comment that many interpreted as an insinuation of their foreign origins. “Former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel played politics of appeasement,” Chaudhary alleged in a social media post.
Community leaders have condemned these remarks, accusing the state government of attempting to polarise the issue for political gains. “The focus should be on finding solutions for the displaced, not making baseless accusations,” said Shafi Ahmed.
As the displaced families struggle to find shelter, the controversy over the selective demolition drive continues to grow. Community leaders have called for an impartial investigation to uncover the reasons behind this discriminatory action. For now, the affected families are left to pick up the pieces of their lives, waiting for justice and shelter amidst an uncertain future.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Ahmed said. “The government must act swiftly to address this humanitarian crisis and ensure equal treatment for all.”