[Reader-list] Police lathi charge demonstrations of slum dwellers against demolitions in Mumbai

[Clifton]

*Subject:* Slum Demolitions - Action Alert and Press Conference - VERY 
URGENT

    * Despite Brutal Lathicharge by the Mumbai Police on a Rally of Slum
      Dwellers whose Houses have been Demolished by the State , 1000
      Protesters Continue Dharna at Azad Maidan
    * Police Claims of Stone Throwing by Protesters which led to the
      Lathi – charge Completely False.
    * The 22 arrrested persons, including Medha Patkar, Anand
      Patwardhan, Ulka Mahajan, Sandhya Gokhale , Sanjay M.G., Chitra
      Paleker, Maju Vargese were released at mid-night by the Night
      Magistrate on Personal Bond
    * Press Conference at Azad Maidan to-day ( 7-4-2005) at 2.30 p.m.

A peaceful rally was organized by the National Alliance of Peoples’ 
Movements on

6-4-2005, from August Kranti Maidan to Azad Maidan, Mumbai. Thousands of 
slum dwellers whose houses had been callously demolished by the 
Maharashtra Government, as also activists from numerous organizations 
and individuals had turned out in support of their demands for housing 
before the monsoons start.

The uncalled for and severe ‘lathicharge’ , just outside the Azad 
Maidan, resulted in over a hundred people having to be taken to the 
hospitals in the surrounding areas.

    * The lathis were aimed at the heads of protesters.
    * The saris and clothes of the women protesters were torn and
      stripped off by male police. Women were beaten and injured in the
      inner thigh region.
    * 2 pregnant women were kicked in their stomachs with police wearing
      heavy boots.
    * Many suffered fractures and were bleeding through their clothes.
    * Nearly 20 children were separated from their parents and 2
      toddlers could only be located late last night.
    * 2 children from Rafiq Nagar are severely injured and in St
      George’s hospital. Rabia Khatoon – age 9 months, requires a CT Scan.
    * 22 persons, including Medha Patkar, Anand Patwardhan, Chitra
      Palekar, Ulka Mahajan, Sanjay M.G., Sujata Ghotoskar, Sandhya
      Gokhale, Mukta Srivastava,

Laxmi Shinde. Pramila Chowdhary, Shashikala Rampyare Prasad, Jayshree 
Gauri,

Kamludidi , Maju Verghese were arrested. Kamludidi was hit on the head 
with a

lathi by a male police man and Devidas Khare was also grievously injured.

    * Anand Patwardhan was manhandled and his clothes torn. His camera
      was purposely broken.
    * The police threatened some of the press persons who were
      photographing the incident and even tried their level best to
      convince the night Magistrate to keep them in jail so that
      information cannot reach the press.

    * Free use of swear words by the police relating to gender, mother,
      sister and religion were rampant.

The response of the police was to call a Press Conference at 5.00 pm in 
the Commissioner’s Office and claim that the lathicharge became 
necessary because of stone throwing and injury to 12 policemen. These 
are totally false charges.

Eye witnesses claim that it was the police who rioted and not the 
Morcha. The eye - witnesses were enraged at the callous behaviour of 
SOME of the police towards the children who were lost and injured. The 
police instead of showing sympathy, were demanding to know why children 
were brought to the Morcha. When told that people who have been rendered 
homeless do not have servants to leave their children with, the police 
threatened the people who were arguing with dire consequences and said 
that they are not required to reply and that they should not be 
questioned or spoken to.

Those arrested were taken to the Azad Maidan and Ramabai Ambedkar 
Rd.Police Stations. They were presented before the Magistrate on night 
duty, who released all concerned on personal bond. On being released 
around mid-night, those who had been arrested, immediately joined the 
Dharna at Azad Maidan, which still continues with about a thousand 
persons being present.

Questions were raised in the Assembly by Narsiah Adam ( CPM), Ganpatrao 
Deshmukh ( PWP) , Narayan Rane ( Leader of the Opposition) and Devendra 
Phadnis of the BJP.

Deputy Chief Minister R.R.Patil is expected to make a statement in 
response, to-day.

Kindly URGENTLY fax a letter of protest to:

1) Sonia Gandhi Fax : Sonia Gandhi : 011- 23018651 / 23016857

2) Prime Minister: 011 – 23016857 / 23019545 / 23015603

3) Chief Minister, Maharashtra 022- 22029214 / 23631446

4) Deputy C.M., Maharashtra 022 – 22024873

Suggested Demands :

   1. Immediate action should be taken against the callous perpetrators
      who led this horrific attack on the already deprived and suffering
      citizens of our nation :

DCP – Naval Bajaj

Sr. PI – Kesar Ahmed

PI – Sanjay Kadam was particularly brutal and involved with the 
molestation and

harassment of women.

   2. Immediately compensate those families who have been living in
      their houses before the year 2000, but their houses have been
      broken down despite protection upto the year 2000 having been
      announced.
   3. Open up the lands where fences have been put up and let the people
      erect their own houses under site and service scheme.
   4. Hold a detailed discussion with the affected persons and their
      representatives, including the NAPM on the Right to Housing and
      Human Rights.

Sanjay M.G., Gajana Khatu, Datta Iswalkar , Mukta Srivastava, Roshni 
Jadhav,

Pervin Jehangir, and others.