Par kiski Dilli...

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I feel that once again its time for another outburst.this time its about a place in Delhi ,on the banks of Yamuna river.I ll tell you the story of Nangla Machi. JJ cluster;thats what the Govt calls it .And lets make one thing clear right away:Of course they were/are living there illegally.They have no clue about the real estate they squat over...But they are not freeloaders.

Yesterday the bulldozers had a field day in Nangla.Around 500 houses were sqaushed and those living 'inside' their homes were suddenly thrown out in 'open'.When i reached Nangla I expecteed people crying(remember 1 MG road???),I expected women feeling embarassed because their wardrobe was on public display,I expected a mob ...pelting stones and blocking the traffic.

And I was wrong.except the children,everyone else was quiet...maybe not silent but most of them had exhausted their vocal chords from the days protests.They were contemplating their next moves-what next!This was day 2 and two more to go.And the worst was yet to come;'Pata Nahin...kahan jayenge'...'Mera ID card hai sir,Par ab kisi kaam ka nahin hai'.'Dekhte hain,yeh log kahan utha kar phekte hain'.They needed a clear idea about what was in their fate.At Ring road Traffic had resumed ...and a old man sat down on a broke trunk,singing a huanting melody.Former PM ( and a present day no one;VP Singh had come and had been arrested(and had been released).Demolitions OK but where the hell do we go ,they ask.

I spoke to a family, they were squatting over a jute carpet that i later realised used to be the 'chappar'of the one room jhuggi they had lived in for the last one decade.They had their identification papers( see i am telling you...the man said...'Hum bhi Aap ki tarah hain.')They had an average life ,paying for everything that they got .The myth of freeloading slum dwellers is impossible...sometimes they pay more for the same bijli+ pani,call it contingency cost if you like.Now half of Nangla is gone,rest are packing.

A small group of children had collected loops of phone wires ,they were burning them by the riverside.The metal in the wires will get them atleast 40 Rs.Every piece of metal scrap is being collected...children ofcourse are better at doing this,its their natural drive.They go about it tirelessly and painlessly.The sense of loss is for the elders...'hum koh toh 240 rupya mil gaya,arey mazaa aa gaya.'

Call it a humanitarian crisis,call it what you like.Nangla was home to citizens of India.Their houses have been smashed on the ground & they havent been told where to go( some 114 familes out of the thousands other have been 'assured' a place in Bawana,some thirty km on the far side of Yamuna).Men are either karamcharis,labourers or self employed lot working primarily in South Delhi as carpenters,plumbers and women?.most women of Nangla work as house maids.As one woman said....'hum chalen jayenge toh tumhara ghar kaun saaf karega?They want to know what has the Govt. planned for them?

I am not sure why i write this blog...I know that we have to change Delhi from the 'walled city to the world city'(ha ha hah...what else do i say)...but anyways I told this small story of Nangla Machi ,because these guys are the ones who will actually build and construct this dream (Real estates buzz word)...not in ink and paper but in brick and stone.And then it will be TIME UP once again.Out they go...in comes the riverside Jogger's park.And somewhere on the track, those children have buried those burnt wires after pulling the metal out.'Tab aayega Mazaa'...

PS:some friends are running a blog ,documenting Nangla's last few days.Do check...http://nangla.freeflux.net





About the AuthorAasim Khan Its my fortnightly column. I write about politics and society. It has an opinionated air about and I like to add a slight provocative tone to it. Mos...Read Morefirst published:March 31, 2006, 10:26 ISTlast updated:March 31, 2006, 10:26 IST
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