Bulldozers Crash Into Livelihoods At Jahangirpuri

'WE'VE ALWAYS LIVED TOGETHER PEACEFULLY': Sense Of Helplessness Among Residents Even As They Claim Bias In Action

- Vibha Sharma & Abhay

Tears, pain, and a sense of helplessness were seen on the faces of people who had shops in C Block of Jahangirpuri. The North Delhi Municipal Corporation carried out a demolition of "encroachments" there on Wednesday and many people lost their source of income. There was, therefore, an undertone of anger in the words of the Jahangirpuri residents when they said that people of all communities had lived in harmony for decades and the municipal action was "biased".

Mohammad Hosiyar claimed to be an area resident for four decades and said he had, for ages, been responsible for the maintenance of Valmiki Mandir at C Block, Jahangirpuri, with his friends, including Ganesh. Exhibiting keys that he said were of the temple gate, Hosiyar said, "All of us worked day and night for the construction of the mandir complex and now work diligently on the upkeep and cleanliness of the place. Everyone considers the others a part of the family and our children have been brought up together. We don't want such undesirable events to happen and ruin our unity."