NEW DELHI – A large number of Hindu migrants from Pakistan, who have beenliving in Delhi for almost 5 years now, came together near the Majlis ParkMetro station slum area on Tuesday to hold a protest against thegovernment’s apathy towards them.
The protesters claimed that the authorities cut off the electricity supplyto the slum a month ago and despite several complaints, it hasn’t beenrestored yet.
Some of the residents have developed skin infections as they are using thecontaminated water for daily basic activities like bathing, cooking andwashing clothes and utensils. Even though a tanker of water is provided bythe Delhi Jal Board (DJB), but for a population of over 600 people, it isnot sufficient.
“It has been very difficult for us to survive without electricity andwater. We come back from work tired and there is no electricity to operatefans. The children hardly sleep at night. We work all day selling mobilecovers, electronic accessories, glasses and fruits but there is no securityof our stalls and goods as the MCD shuts them down, hence making itdifficult for us to earn our livelihood,” said Nehru Lal, head of the slum.
Krishna Tyagi, leader of Navyuva Shakti Sanghatan, an organisation thatsupports the immigrants and part of the protest, said,”These people needbasic necessities like water and electricity as they are suffering a lot.We request the government that two tankers be supplied to the area. As DrHarsh Vardhan has promised that their problems would be solved within 15days, but if that doesn’t happen we will protest again. We also request CMArvind Kejriwal to look into the matter and provide some relief to them,”said Tyagi.
In 2-15, the Centre had come up with several promises for the Hindumigrants about their quick rehabilitation and had decided to exemptBangladeshi and Pakistani nationals belonging to minority communities, whoentered India on or before 31 December, 2014, from having to follow therelevant provisions of rules and order made under the Passport (Entry intoIndia) Act, 1920 and the Foreigners Act, 1946, in their entry and stay inIndia.