With police failing to estimate the number of protestors expected to take part in the GVMC gherao by slum dwellers, tense situation prevailed on Monday near the GVMC council, leading to minor attacks on corporators by angry agitators, gathered in large numbers to lay siege to the GVMC building.
Protesting the recent moves of GVMC authorities in evicting them from various slums across the city, slum dwellers under the aegis of several rights groups chose to raise their voice at a time when the GVMC council was to meet to pass the budget for 2012-13.
Due to thin security, the agitators could gain entry into the GVMC building and reached the council hall where the budget mee-ting was underway. When they tried to barge into the council hall, police used mild force. But the undeterred agitators pelted stones at the GVMC office due to which the building sealing was damaged.
Women agitators hit women constables and Ward No. 72 corporator Ms Pasala Vasantha including other corporators were hit.
Additional forces were brought in to control the angry mob. Security forces lathicharged the agitators, with a few of the latter receiving injuries.
Ms Lakshmi of the Progressive Organisation For Women (POW) and Human Rights Forum (HRF) activists observed that they were protesting against forceful eviction by the GVMC officials.
“Residents of various slums have been protesting eviction threats they are being subjected to since several months. In places like Indiranagar there is near total opposition to the GVMC’s proposal to relocate them at Bakkannapalem on the city outskirts. The demand of the slum dwellers that amenities in their area be improved and they be allowed to reside in Indiranagar itself is totally justified,” said the HRF state general secretary, Mr V.S. Krishna.
The GVMC has identified around 741 slums across the city for eviction. Only dwellers of 23 slums were set to be shifted to other places for development in the first phase.
The GVMC was successful in evacuating Omkar Nagar and Seva Nagar slums in the city, but faced resistance from Indira Nagar residents when it tried to forcibly evacuate them a few days ago.