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Demolition of Muslim rat-hole miner’s home in Delhi sparks protest

Leaders and activists cutting across the party lines Thursday Feb 29, 2024 expressed their anger over the Delhi civic body’s ‘bulldozer drive’ which resulted in demolition of a number of homes including that of a Muslim rat-hole miner who was recently in news for saving 41 lives. Read More

Friday March 1, 2024 10:11 AM , ummid.com with inputs from Agencies

New Delhi: Leaders and activists cutting across the party lines Thursday Feb 29, 2024 expressed their anger over the Delhi civic body’s ‘bulldozer drive’ which resulted in demolition of a number of homes including that of a Muslim rat-hole miner who was recently in news for saving 41 lives.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) Wednesday carried the demolition drive in the Khajoori Khas area of Northeast Delhi. The DDA said the drive was carried out to clear the “structures built illegally on a planned development land”.

The DDA demolition drive left hundreds homeless including Wakeel Hassan – the leader of the 12-member team of 'rat-hole' miners from Rockwell Enterprises who successfully rescued the 41 trapped workers from the under-construction Silkyara Bend-Barkot Tunnel, in Uttarkashi district, on November 29, 2023.

Wakeel Hassan said his home was demolished without notice. Munna Qureshi, one of Wakeel Hassan’s team members, said they were beaten up by the police. Hasan also said he along with his daughter was detained by the police and kept under custody for more than 8 hours.

Expressing her anger over the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) brutal action that left hundreds homeless, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called the incident an example of ‘Anyay Kaal’ in a veiled criticism of PM Modi’s oft-repeated claim of running ‘Amrit Kaal’ – a golden era.

"Then, for their publicity, big leaders of the BJP had gotten photographs clicked with him. Now when the publicity is over, today the same Wakeel Hassan was locked in the police station and his house was demolished and the roof was taken away from the heads of his children," Priyanka wrote on social media platform X while sharing a video of Wakeel Hassan’s wife outside her demolished home.

"Demolishing the houses of the poor, crushing them, torturing and humiliating them - this injustice is the truth of the BJP's 'anyay kaal'. The public will definitely respond to this injustice," the Congress general secretary said.

In the video shared by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Wakeel Hassan’s wife can be heard saying that her husband was hailed as a hero for saving 41 labourers. “But in return we have been snatched of our home”, she moaned.

“मेरे हसबैंड तो हीरो थे उत्तरकाशी के… 41 लोगों की जान बचाई थी उन्होंने… सब उन्हें सम्मान दे रहे थे। आज उस सम्मान के बदले मेरा मकान ले लिया!”

वकील हसन ने अपनी जान जोखिम में डालकर उत्तरकाशी सुरंग में फंसे मजदूरों की जान बचाई थी। तब अपने प्रचार के लिए भाजपा के बड़े-बड़े नेताओं… pic.twitter.com/7exJnU5F9f

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) February 29, 2024

Condemning the DDA demolition drive, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief and former Chief Minister Jammu Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, said the Muslims were singled out for demolition because of their religion.

"So much love for Pasmanda Muslims that Vakil Hassan, commended by the PM for his heroic act in saving lives of 41 workers trapped in Silkiyara tunnel, that his humble abode was singled out and demolished by DDA (Delhi Development Authority).”

"Instead of rewarding him for his bravery, he is punished only for being a Muslim. Is this how BJP intends to uplift so-called Pasmanda marginalised Muslims?" Mufti said in a post on X.

Meanwhile, Northeast Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari said Wakeel Hassan’s house has some “legal issues” and assured that the miner will be allotted a “new home” under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna very soon.

Delhi LG VK Saxena too said the government will "compensate Wakeel Hasan and he will be provided a house".

Wakeel Hasan however said he has no knowledge of any such offer and has received no official communication in this regard.

Wakeel Hasan also refuted the DDA claim that his home was built on illegal or encroached land. He said he had taken loan to purchase the land of which he has all the documents.

“The plot on which we are living on since 1987 was regularized in 2008. We have all the documents”, he said.

Commenting on the government's compensation offer, Saleem Sarang, Maharashtra NCP leader, said, "First you make someone homeless, putting their children's lives in danger and then comes up with assurances. Wwhat kind of negligence is this? Thank you Delhi LG for being so (kind)??"

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