About to Become Homeless, Bethel Nagar Residents Shocked at DMK’s U-Turn

Bethel Nagar residents are shocked and disappointed at the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for the sudden reversal of stand on the encroachment and eviction case affecting thousands of families.

During the 2021 Assembly election, the DMK promised house-site pattas to the residents of the Injambakkam locality in south Chennai if voted to power. Although a 2019 court ruling categorically ordered the removal of all houses on encroached land in the area, the DMK assured the people that there would be no evictions.

Now, even as more than 500 people were on the streets holding demonstrations for three continuous days last week, there has been no response from the ruling party.

Government officials are pointing fingers at the court order and citing helplessness in the matter. They are claiming that the state has no other option but to abide by the judiciary and evacuate them.

Contrary to the DMK’s election promise, public prosecutor Additional Advocate General J Ravindran in the Madras high court hearings on January 28 and 31 appeared sorry on behalf of the state government for not yet evicting thousands of Bethel Nagar residents.

Whereas appearing for Bethel Nagar Residents Welfare Association (BRWA), senior counsel NGR Prasad successfully filed a petition appealing the Madras high court to reconsider its eviction orders.

PEOPLE’S PETITION ACCEPTED

Recently, I H Sekar, Managing Trustee of Nature Trust NGO, filed a contempt of court case stating that the Bethel Nagar eviction order was not yet enforced by the government, and he asked the court to punish the respective officials for the same.

During the hearing of the case on January 28, in response to the petition, the public prosecutor argued that the implementation of the 2019 Madras High Court order directing removal of commercial and residential encroachments in Bethel Nagar was delayed especially because of the pandemic. He also requested permission till April to carry out the evictions.

Meanwhile, given that the petition was scheduled for hearing on January 28, the government hurriedly deployed police force in Bethel Nagar on January 26 and demolished compound walls and other structures. Electricity connections 107 out of 153 commercial constructions were also severed. The same was appreciated by the judges in court.

On the same day, speaking on behalf of the residents of Bethel Nagar, advocate NGR Prasad argued that in the previous court case demanding evictions in 2015, the Bethel Nagar people did not get a chance to place their arguments. He, therefore, filed a petition on behalf of the affected people, which the court accepted.

On January 31 the Madras high court granted interim relief to residents of Bethel Nagar who were on the cusp of evictions. As pleaded by Additional Advocate General J Ravindran the first bench of Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice PD Audikesavalu asked the government to not sever electricity connection as yet.

The bench also asked for documents of Bethel Nagar residents within seven days and postponed the next hearing to February 8 in the case of contempt petition seeking a direction to punish officials who failed to implement the court order of 2019.

‘INSENSITIVE ADVOCATE GENERAL’

A team headed by advocate Prasad visited Bethel Nagar on January 29. While speaking to media persons Prasad said “Upon the request of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), I appeared for the Bethel Nagar case.”

He accused the public prosecutor of deviating from the promises made by the chief minister.

“The public prosecutor must act decisively to deliver on the promises made by the Chief Minister,” said advocate Prasad. He asked, “To whom are the rulers going to give protection if not the people? Rulers must reflect the voice of the people”.

He further said, “The public prosecutor is telling the judges ‘we have violated the court order; due to COVID pandemic period we did not demolish the houses, otherwise by now we would have demolished them’.”

Advocate Prasad stressed the need for political parties to intervene and to urge the chief minister to advise the Advocate General to be sensitive towards the people.

GOVT’S DISINTEREST

Bethel Nagar is home to more than 30,000 people belonging to 3,500 families. The government has spent Rs 100 crore to develop the area. Electricity and drinking water supply was provided without hindrance to people living in the area for more than 25 years.

On the January 31 hearing, advocate NGR Prasad placed the argument that in the past the district collector recommended that the Bethel Nagar area be converted from meikal poramboke land to residential land. However, the public prosecutor pointed out that it was turned down.

Moreover, Prasad argued that in the past, according to the high court order, the government had provided alternative land instead of meikal poramboke (reserved grazing) land instead of just evicting people.

It has become evident to the people of Bethel Nagar and the political parties involved that the government is not interested in reclassifying the land for housing and convincing the court of the same.