Women from Delhi's Shakur Basti share fear of bulldozers with Rahul Gandhi

The Congress party has released a compelling video showcasing party leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to the Shakur Basti area in Delhi, where he engaged with slum dwellers who expressed their concerns about the impending demolition of their homes by bulldozers.

After his visit to the Delhi University PG Men's hostel, the Congress shared the video of Gandhi's interaction with women and other residents on its social media platforms last week.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh took to Twitter to share the video, accompanied by the statement, "Listen to Rahul Gandhi's conversation with these women. Witness the reality of the 'Amrit Kaal'."

"The families living in Delhi's Shakur Basti, where on the one hand they are troubled by all-round inflation, and on the other hand they are forced to live in fear of bulldozers. They face challenges every day regarding electricity, water, cooking gas and children's education."

The video portrayed women from the area sharing their challenges with the Congress leader. They highlighted the lack of proper access to essential resources such as water, toilets, and electricity. Additionally, they expressed constant fear regarding the demolition of their houses by bulldozers.

The women also raised concerns about the economic hardships caused by the rising prices, making it difficult for them to sustain their households in the video. They explained their struggles in affording basic necessities, including the purchase or refill of gas cylinders.

During the interaction, Gandhi inquired if the issue of the demolition drive from 2015 has been resolved. In response, one of the women informed him that it has been temporarily halted, but they continue to receive notices.

Gandhi had previously visited the Shakur Basti area in 2015, where he criticized both the Central government and the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government for the demolition of a slum cluster by the Railways. He assured the homeless residents that he would fight for their rights.

PIL by Ajay Maken

Apart from engaging with the women, Rahul Gandhi also interacted with the children of the area and spoke with a lawyer who had pursued the demolition case in the courts. The lawyer informed Gandhi that a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in Delhi Congress leader Ajay Maken's name.

As a result of this PIL, a judgment was passed ensuring that the residents would not be evicted unless they were provided with an alternative place to live, the lawyer revealed to Gandhi.

(With inputs from IANS)