MEERUT Members and leaders of Prajapati Samaj took out a 14-km march before staging a protest at the district magistrate’s office in Baghpat on Monday to oppose demolition of their dwellings in Basi village of Khekra area in Baghpat district.
Prajapati Samaj leader Dara Singh Prajapati accused the district administration of demolishing more than 50 dwellings of the community without serving notice and claimed that the owners were residing there since1952.
“The officials came with police and demolished dwellings of Prajapati community members without serving them notices,” claimed Dara Singh who marched with the community members from Basi village to DM’s office in Baghpat on Monday.
He said that the Prajapatis generally lived near ponds so that they could easily get mud and clay for making pots. These families were also living there for over six decades and were punished for no fault of theirs. He said that community members could even march to Delhi for seeking justice.
Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Khekra Jyoti Sharma, however, denied the charges and said that the action was taken in compliance with the order of the court. She said that four dwellings were damaged during action and boundary wall and gates were demolished because they were built on encroached land of pond.
She claimed that the people were well aware of the court order which existed since 2016 but they didn’t go in appeal against the verdict. Moreover, many of the members already had plots and houses in other areas and beautification work of the pond was also pending.
{{/usCountry}}She claimed that the people were well aware of the court order which existed since 2016 but they didn’t go in appeal against the verdict. Moreover, many of the members already had plots and houses in other areas and beautification work of the pond was also pending.
{{/usCountry}}Dara Singh, however, said the SDM was protecting the errant officials. He said that people were living there since1952 and they had no clue about any court verdict.
“Officials never shared any such court order with the affected people and now they are using this unseen order to protect the wrongdoing of officials,” he said, reiterating that the protest against demolition of dwellings would continue.