|
After
becoming tehbazari holders, vendors
resist paying bribes. |
|
|
The
very same people who were key members of the extortionist
mafia collecting hafta from vendors, rickshaw
owners and other traders in this area, stopped the construction
of pavements and stalls by sheer goonda tactics because
they feel threatened by the vendors getting economic
security and nice clean stalls. |
|
|
They
first tried blackmailing Manushi into giving each of
them a certain number of stalls. When that failed they
sat on dharna, hurling abuses and bringing goons from
outside to forcibly stop the construction work. |
|
|
Some
of them have long criminal records and are undergoing
trials for serious offences, including murder, kidnapping,
sexual assault harassment and fraud. These criminal
elements attach themselves to whichever party is in
power. That gives them added clout with the police. |
|
|
Unable
to break the unity and resilience of members of Manushi
Sangathan through violence and threats, two members
of the extortionist gang, Umesh Rawat and Dharam Singh
claiming high level political patronage, approached
the High Court to get a stay order against the pilot
project. |
|
|
High
Court refused to grant a stay order on Feb. 23, 2005,
but the gang does not allow construction work to progress
through use of violence and strong arm tactics. SHO
Kotla thana and other key personnel lent full support
to their criminal activities while Manushi members get
repeatedly attacked by the police and have their stalls
forcibly removed. |
|
|
On
Feb. 25, 2005, Manushi submitted evidence of the criminal
activities and record of this gang to the High Court.
This restrained the police from attacking us openly.
|
|
|
On
October 7, 2005, the High Court gave a clear verdict
in favour of the Sewa Nagar Pilot Project. However,
the extortionist mafia has filed yet another petition
in the High Court to stall the Project. |
|
