People's Democracy

DELHI

CPI(M) Condemns Seelampur Killings

THE CPI(M), Delhi state committee has strongly condemned the killing of three people in police firing in Seelampur and expressed its condolences to their next of kin. In a statement issued on September 21, 2006, it held the central government, under whose purview land use in Delhi comes, squarely responsible for the tragedy. The central government has miserably failed to deal with the explosive impact of judgements of the higher judiciary regarding demolition, sealing, removal of rickshaws, hawkers etc, it stated. 

The refusal of the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court to recognise the validity of the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Bill, Act, May, 2006 that places one year moratorium on demolitions and sealings as well as their rejection of executive orders changing land use in the Master Plan is equally responsible for the chaos prevailing in the capital. The government’s spineless response to this usurpation of powers of the legislature and executive by the higher judiciary has further emboldened the latter, felt the CPI(M).

Referring to the government promise of convening a special session of parliament and even amending of the Constitution to meet the situation, the CPI(M) warned that this should not be used to provide legal status to all recommendations of the Tejinder Khanna Committee Report. 

The CPI(M) is opposed to several such recommendations like those banning commercial activities in rich colonies while giving a free hand for them in poor colonies; opening the land market (estimated 22,000 hectares) to private builders; reduction of DDA to a mere planning body; low cost housing construction by private agencies; lack of clear-cut provisions for allocation of land/space for hawkers etc. 

The CPI(M) made the following demands from the central government:

1. Take action against police personnel responsible for the police firing in Seelampur and provide adequate compensation to the families of those killed.

2. Immediately halt all sealings and demolitions in Delhi as provided for under the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Bill, Act, May 2006. Reject the arbitrary orders of the higher judiciary questioning supremacy of the legislature and authority of the executive.

3. Evolve through widest consultation with political parties, social organisations and representatives of different sections of the working people an equitable policy of land use that does not discriminate against small shopkeepers, poor colonies and lakhs of those earning a living in the informal sector. The new Master Plan should be finalised only after this due process. (INN)