INVITE TO STAND TOGETHER WITH RESIDENTS OF KATHPUTLI COLONY AGAINST THE PRESENCE OF HEAVY POLICE FORCES AND VIOLATIONS OF DDA AUTHORITIES IN THE NAME OF TAKING CONSENT

Dear Friends,

Press Conference by Kathputli Colony Residents

Time: 03:00 PM, Today  26th Dec. 2016

Venue: Muharram Park, Kathputli Colony (near Shadipur Bus Depot)

The residents of famous Kathputli Colony in Delhi is once again appealing to you to come, visit and stand together with them to resist the illicit use of police forces, presence of bulldozers, fearful environment created by DDA Authorities in the name of taking consent for redevelopment of the colony.

The DDA Authorities are on a rampant mission of getting consent from people of Kathputli Colony to shift them to transit camp and handover the land of 5.22 ha to Raheja Builders for redevelopment. The hurriedness is not even explained to people and without any prior notice, they are being accompanied by heavy police forces, which also include five paramilitary forces. In the presence of heavy police power, DDA Authorities are taking consent individually by pursuing individual families separately. Even the neighbors are kept unaware about the perusal by authorities. A series of violations are being carried out in the process of getting consent and targeting people individually. Public properties are being demolished without the public consent, damaging others house. Even the presence of bulldozers is unnecessary without collective public consent for shifting to transit camp. The motive and conduct of authorities are making the situation worse and making people’s life more difficult and challenging.

Targeting individual households, demolishing just within few hours after their shift to transit camp have converted the whole colony into a dumping yard where we can see the debris of houses scattered heavily on the pathways and in the drains that too are neglected by the govts since long.

People were strongly resisting individually and in the last three four days, their unity and resistance against the state power and seemingly possible nexus between DDA authorities and the Builder have gave them the needed courage to once again fight for their constitutional rights and rightful assertion of land. Your presence will be important to raise the voices of residents and support their fight against the muscle and money power showcased by the Govt. who were responsible for the development of the people not the giving away of land to the ‘Developers’. The land which belongs to the artists, puppeteers and other talented communities who have made our country proud internationally since several decades must belong to the same and if needed more should be given in the name of real development.

We request you to come, stand together with the residents, and support their voices, the voices of Kathputli Colony for them, for their art and their larger contribution to the art and in our lives.

Regards,

Delhi Solidarity Group

Contact:   9867348307,    9958797409,    9910060626,    9971058735,     8486944483