Indian Express: Mumbai: Friday, August 04, 2017.
A man claims
to have been on hunger strike in front of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region
Development Authority (MMRDA) office at the Bandra-Kurla Complex since July 10,
demanding a probe into alleged false cases filed against his family following
demolition of their property in Bharat Nagar by the authority. Irshad Muniar,
who joined her striking husband last week, is eight-months pregnant and she had
to be taken to Bhabha Hospital on Wednesday after her blood pressure dropped.
The woman filed a complaint with the BKC police station on Wednesday, alleging
that she was verbally abused by MMRDA officials.
Badriuddin
Muniar, who has been on the hunger strike, and his wife Irshad claimed that the
MMRDA, in December last year, demolished their house, along with their car
service centre and an animal rescue centre. They claimed that they were
targeted by the agency after Badriuddin’s brother, Nasir, drew authorities’
attention to an alleged illegal land deal between the MMRDA and a real estate
company. The couple also claimed that their family was put in jail for 40 days
on false charges.
“In December
last year, MMRDA officials, along with the police, demolished my house, an
adjoining shop and my animal centre. They did not even serve us a notice and
only my property was targeted. Later, through an RTI application, I confirmed
that they did not have any order to demolish those. It was clear that I was
being targeted for uncovering their shady deals. During demolition, a policeman
was injured. While the hospital report said he was hurt by a brick while
conducting demolitions, they (the authority) claimed that the family had beaten
him up with iron rods and arrested us. Ten of my family members were in Arthur
Road Jail for over 40 days,” said Nasir. According to him, through several RTI
applications, he found out that a drain was encroached upon for a better approach
to a newly-constructed building in Bharat Nagar. “The MMRDA is hand in glove
with the builders,” claimed Nasir, who added that their home was demolished
because he uncovered the issue of encroachment of the nullah.
In February,
Badriuddin started a hunger strike in Azad Maidan. Later, he moved to the MMRDA
office where his wife joined him a few days ago. On Wednesday, the Aam Aadmi
Party (AAP) took up the matter with the Metropolitan Commissioner, U P S Madan,
and sought an inquiry into the alleged illegal demolitions. “We have sought
documentary evidence from him with regard to the claims. Currently, he has no
evidence to prove that he lived there. Only if he shows us the documents would
we know if his claims are genuine,” Madan said.
AAP leader
Preeti Sharma Menon said the family wants the “fake FIRs” against them quashed
and their house restored. “We met the commissioner and have sought an inquiry
into the demolitions. He has responded positively,” said Menon.
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