The high court mandated the clearance of encroachments by January 9, leading to demonstrations by over 4,000 residents who have now sought refuge in the Supreme Court.
Mohammad Alamullah | Clarion India
NEW DELHI — Braving chilly weather sweeping the northern part of the country, thousands of sobbing Muslim residents of Haldwani in Uttarakhand prayed all night crying for mercy and protection against getting homeless.
Men, women and children participated in the January 23 emotional prayer meeting, beseeching God to save their homes from demolition and their children from getting homeless.
The somber gathering was organised in response to the railway authority’s claim to the land, with the high court ordering the demolition of the entire area. Subsequently, the residents filed a case in the Supreme Court, with the hearing scheduled for January 24. However, to the dismay of the anxious crowd, the hearing was postponed for unspecified reasons, leaving the fate of their homes hanging in the balance.
Sartaj Alam, a journalist at on the scene, shared details with Clarion India over the phone, revealing the prevailing fear among the people. The uncertainty surrounding the next hearing date compounds the distress, as judges involved in the matter have either retired or are tied up with other cases. The absence of information on the court’s website only adds to the uncertainty.
The plight of the residents in the city’s Banbholpura area stems from the alleged encroachments on railway land.
The collective prayer sought divine intervention. Mufti Rizwan, the Imam of Lal Masjid, led the prayer, pouring his heart out for a satisfactory and acceptable solution to the railway issue.
The backdrop of this desperate situation involves people residing on 29 acres of railway land. Following the high court’s order to vacate the encroachments, the Railways issued notices for the removal of illegal settlements. The court mandated the clearance of encroachments by January 9, leading to demonstrations by over 4,000 residents who have now sought refuge in the Supreme Court. Now, the community anxiously awaits a decision that will determine the fate of their homes and livelihoods.
