
● Delegation to Meet Commissioner Soon on Public Issues
● Decisions Made at the Lucknow Bachao Sangharsh Samiti Meeting
Lucknow, September 10, 2024: A comprehensive initiative will be undertaken to ensure a dignified life for the people in opposition to the bulldozer actions being carried out by the Yogi government. Recently, the district administration’s actions to evict the people living along the 16-kilometer stretch of Haider Canal will be peacefully and democratically resisted, and outreach efforts will be made to all opposition political parties and civil society groups in the state for support. A delegation from the Lucknow Bachao Sangharsh Samiti will soon meet with the Commissioner and administrative officials regarding the issue of rehabilitating the displaced people of Akbarnagar back in Akbarnagar with proper compensation, resolving the civic issues arising in Basant Kunj, providing employment, and canceling the ₹4.80 lakh imposed by the LDA on their homes. This decision was taken at the Samiti’s meeting held today at the CPM office in front of the Vidhan Sabha. The meeting was chaired by senior journalist and former SP mayoral candidate Vandana Mishra, and proceedings were managed by Dinkar Kapoor of IPF. Presenting the agenda, CPM State Secretary Committee member Madhu Garg said, “Our movement is centered around the rights enshrined in the Constitution, and this government is intent on dismantling constitutional policies and traditions, continuously making life harder for the common people.”
At the meeting, Amit Sonkar, President of the Haider Canal Welfare Committee and former councilor, discussed in detail that the DM recently ordered the eviction of millions of people living along the canal within a week. So far, no notice has been issued by the government or administration to any individual. Reports suggest that drones have also been used for surveying the area. A large number of Dalits live in these settlements, and it seems that the government’s intention is to evict them and hand over the land to real estate developers. If any notice is received from the administration, a Satyagraha movement will immediately be launched, and a representative convention will be organized involving the people from each area, inviting the top leadership of all political parties.
Akbarnagar leader Imran Raja stated that the displaced residents of Basant Kunj have been deprived of their constitutional right to a dignified life. While some facilities have been provided by the administration following our movement, employment for the residents of Basant Kunj has not yet been arranged, nor has the ₹4.80 lakh charge for their homes been canceled. He said the fight to resettle them in Akbarnagar will be taken to the Supreme Court. Social worker Naees Hasan suggested conducting a survey on the livelihood, housing, and education of the children of Akbarnagar, with a report being submitted to the administrative officials.
Senior social worker Professor Ramesh Dixit expressed concern over the erosion of democracy in Uttar Pradesh, where the Yogi government is establishing bulldozer rule without regard for judicial processes. He stressed the need to strengthen the united struggle to defend democracy.
Rakesh Mani Pandey, convenor of the Trans-Gomti Resident Welfare Committee, said that due to our movement, the government was forced to halt its eviction actions in areas like Pantnagar, Khurram Nagar, Rahim Nagar, and Indraprastha Colony. However, the threat is not entirely gone, and we must remain vigilant. CPI(ML) district in-charge Ramesh Singh Sengar emphasized the need to maintain momentum and bring the campaign to the people of Lucknow. Praveen Singh, a member of the CPM district committee, warned that vested interests would attempt to disrupt the movement, and Lucknow Bachao Sangharsh Samiti must support every anti-bulldozer campaign taking place in Lucknow.
Dinkar Kapoor, State General Secretary of the All India People’s Front, who conducted the meeting, stated that Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to a dignified life, including the right to housing, which the government is trying to take away. Chairperson Vandana Mishra said that this Samiti has emerged as the voice of every oppressed individual in Lucknow and has forced the dictatorial government’s repressive measures to retreat, and in the future, too, the people will achieve victory.
The meeting was attended by CPI State Secretary Committee member Kanti Mishra, AIDWA leader Vandana Rai, SFI’s Abdul Wahab, Abhishek Kumar, AISA’s Shantam Nidhi, AICCTU’s Vijay Vidrohi, Haider Canal Welfare Committee patron Gautam Govind, Sanjay Vishwakarma, Bhagat Singh Student Front’s Akanksha Azad, Lalchand of Jagruk Nagrik Manch, JB Yadav of Kisan Sabha, Rajiv of RYA, and several others.
Madhu Garg, Coordinator, Lucknow Bachao Sangharsh Samiti